Andersson dominates sprint race as Victory Team’s Torrente boosts title hopes

A dazzling display of unyielding dominance marked the second sprint race of the UIM F1H2O Grand Prix of Jeddah as the Team Sweden Jonas Andersson masterfully navigated the waters of the North Obhur Waterfront on Friday.

Amidst the swirling currents and the intermittent interruptions of a cautionary yellow flag, reigning three-time World Champion commanded the race with consummate skill, ultimately crossing the finish line a definitive 2.804 seconds ahead of the Sharjah Team’s Stefan Arand.

Stefan Hagin of the China CTIC Team finished third while Team Abu Dhabi’s Mansoor Al Mansoori ended fourth after Alberto Comparato of the Comparato F1 Team, who received a penalty for failing to maintain his lane.

“It’s all down to the team-they were fantastic. I sorted the engine, and here we are. It could’ve been a lot worse, but we’re still in the championship fight,” said Andersson.

Earlier, Dubai-based Victory Team’s Shaun Torrente dominated the opening Sprint race. With commanding precision from the very first surge off the start, he seized control of the race and refused to give an inch.

Every lap tightened his grip on the lead as he carved through the course with total authority, leaving the chasing pack fading in his wake. By the time Torrente crossed the finish line, he was untouchable, sealing a dominant 4.282-second victory.

The win didn’t just add to his momentum; it secured a crucial 10 points in the 2025 F1H2O Drivers World Championship, cementing his status as a serious title threat.

Behind him, China CTIC’s Peter Morin and Stromoy Racing’s Bartek Marszalek locked down the remaining podium spots.

The American star is now just one point behind the team-mate Alec Weckstrom in the overall championship and will be aiming to give his best for the title in Saturday’s Grand Prix.

Behind him, the China CTIC Team’s Peter Morin and Stromoy Racing’s Bartek Marszalek completed the podium.

An elated Torrente reflected on the performance, saying, “It was awesome. I was also trying to save it for the race (Grand Prix). The team did a wonderful job and they have been working incredibly hard on the engines, which gives a smooth ride.

Rusty Wyatt steered his Sharjah Team boat to a strong fourth place, followed by double World Champion Sami Selio in fifth.

Torrente had secured pole for sprint race one and lined up ahead of Morin, Marszalek, Wyatt, Selio, Stromoy, Damon Cohen, Maverick Racing’s Cedric Deguisne and Alexandre Bourgeot, with Trask relegated to the back of the starting line after an engine change post-qualifying.

Torrente exploded off the start pontoon and immediately began to distance himself from Morin, Wyatt, Marszalek and Selio.

Marszalek soon found a way past Wyatt to seize third, while Torrente extended his advantage to nearly three seconds after two laps-a gap that widened to 3.7 seconds by lap five. Deguisne retired after the opening lap.

The remaining eight drivers held their positions through lap seven as Torrente continued to push the margin.

By the halfway point, the three-time world champion had opened a lead of more than six seconds over Morin, with Marszalek, Wyatt and Selio maintaining their rhythm ahead of Stromoy and Trask.

Bourgeot retired after five laps, and Cohen was forced out on lap nine.

Torrente powered across the finish to seal a comfortable victory. Morin, Marszalek, Wyatt, Selio, Stromoy and Trask completed the list of finishers.

During the qualifying session for the pole, Torrente seized the top position with a performance that crackled with intensity.

In a dripping battle and under the intense pressure, the Victory Team ace refused to blink-holding off a ferocious challenge from Andersson.