Mansoori to lead Team AD in F1H2O World Championship
- Last updated: August 10, 2025 | 09:38
The Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club (ADMSC) has officially announced the signing of Emirati racer Mansour Al Mansoori to join the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 powerboat racing team, succeeding veteran champion Thani Al Qemzi, who recently retired after an illustrious career spanning over 25 years.
Mansoori’s selection to represent the team in the UIM F1H2O World Championship comes following the unanimous recommendation of the team’s management and technical staff, who recognized his exceptional abilities and outstanding performances during his previous participations with Team Abu Dhabi in Formula 2 competitions, as well as his physical and technical readiness to take on this global challenge.
His first official appearance will be at the opening round of the 2025 UIM F1H2O World Championship in Indonesia, marking a new chapter in his sporting career as he carries the team’s ambitions to maintain its leading position in the world championship.
The Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club expressed full confidence in Mansoori, praising his fighting spirit and high ambitions, and reaffirming the team’s full support to help him achieve the desired results and continue raising the UAE flag at international events.
“Mansoori has shown great determination in F2, and we believe it is the right time to test him in F1. At the same time, keeping Rashid in F2 was a strategic choice – his experience and competitive strength are vital to our continued success in that class,” said Guido Cappellini, Team Manager of Abu Dhabi.
Nicolo di San Germano, F1H2O President and Founder, expressed his sadness at seeing such a long-standing driver bowing out, adding: “After a quarter of a century of racing, the World Championship just won’t feel the same without him. From all of us at F1H2O, we are incredibly grateful for the countless great moments Al Qamzii has given us throughout the years. We all wish him the best with his new adventures.”
The opening round of the 2025 UIM F1H2O World Championship is just over a weeks away but, as the shipment of boats and equipment makes its way to deepest Sumatra in good time for the first Grand Prix of the season on August 22-24, drivers and team members have been busying themselves in preparation for five races in as many months.
While the main focus will be on the town of Balige on Lake Toba in mid-August, the likes of the F1 Atlantic Team’s Ben Jelf and Duarte Benavente, Stromoy Racing’s Marit Stromoy, the China CTIC Team’s Peter Morin, the Sharjah Team’s Rusty Wyatt and Stefan Arand, and Victory Team’s Shaun Torrente have been keeping match fit by competing in other racing disciplines over recent weeks.
Double World Champion Sami Selio has been mentoring his 14-year-old son Sisu to become champion in the prestigious World Sailing Zoom8 Championships in Germany.
As well as carrying out a test programme with Team Abu Dhabi, Erik Stark has been relaxing with an impressive motor racing simulator to fine tune his reactions in advance of the new season. The Maverick Racing team and Cedric Deguisne have spent a lot of time in the pre-season organising their own race at Macon in France, which was the opening round of this year’s French Championship.
Defending champion Jonas Andersson has been relaxing away from the sport in his native Scandinavia, working on water craft, giving rides in his two-seater boat and taking some time on a trial bike away from the high-pressure environment of the F1H2O paddock.
The Frovi resident, who claimed the UIM F1H2O World Championship title in 2021, 2023 and 2024, will revert to running under the Team Sweden banner in 2025, with whom he won the UIM F1H2O Teams’ Championship in 2023.