News

Saudi Arabia – Jeddah, 29 November 2025: Team Abu Dhabi experienced a highly challenging and eventful day at the Jeddah Grand Prix, the fourth round of the F1 Powerboat World Championship, where Swedish driver Erik Stark delivered an exceptional performance despite the difficulties he faced before the start of the main race.

Following the end of the qualifying session, Stark and the technical crew began implementing a series of precise adjustments to Abu Dhabi’s boat No. 6, including changes to measurements and refined setup modifications aimed at boosting performance. The results of these upgrades became evident in the morning, as Stark finished the free practice session in first place, confirming the boat’s readiness after the adjustments.

As race time approached, the technical team continued preparing the boat, conducting a full inspection of the engine to ensure its readiness. During this process, the team discovered a technical issue in the engine system that could affect performance. As a result, they were forced to replace the engine entirely—an action that, according to UIM regulations, dropped Stark to the last position on the starting grid instead of the eleventh place he had initially secured.

Despite this setback, Stark delivered a heroic performance, climbing from last position to finish the race in sixth place, achieving one of the most impressive comebacks of the round and reaffirming Team Abu Dhabi’s strong technical capabilities and competitive spirit.

At the front of the field, American driver Shaun Torrente of Victory Team dominated the race, securing the Jeddah Grand Prix title with a strong and consistent performance. Swedish driver Jonas Andersson finished second, while Poland’s Bartek Marszalek claimed third place.

Based on the results of Round 4, the overall standings of the F1 Powerboat World Championship are as follows:
 Shaun Torrente – 89 points
 Jonas Andersson – 75 points
 Alec Weckström – 72 points

At the conclusion of the round, Thani Al Qamzi, Executive Director of Team Abu Dhabi, emphasized the team’s focus on the future, saying: “We are working to return strongly to the championship next season. The final round in Sharjah will be an important opportunity to review our performance and determine our position before entering a new season of competition.”

Team Abu Dhabi now shifts its preparations to the Sharjah Grand Prix, the final round of the season, which will play a decisive role in shaping the team’s direction and plans for the coming year.