Kyrgyzstan included for first time as UIM F1H2O unveils calendar for new season

The 2026 F1H2O World Championship will make history with its first-ever Central Asian Grand Prix, part of a seven-race calendar spanning the globe.

Following the season opener in Cagliari, Italy (May 29–31), the championship heads to Kyrgyzstan’s stunning Issyk-Kul region before visiting Shanghai, Jeddah, a Middle Eastern location to be announced shortly, and concluding in Sharjah.

The opening Grand Prix of the season will take place in Cagliari, with the Sardinian city hosting racing from May 29 to 31 for the Regione Sardegna Grand Prix of Italy.

The remainder of the calendar is now confirmed, including the first-ever Grand Prix to take place in Kyrgyzstan.

The inaugural Grand Prix of Kyrgyzstan, organised by H2O Racing in collaboration with the Kyrgyz Powerboating Federation, will take place from July 31 to August 2 in Issyk-Kul, a vast lake in the east of the country.

This marks the first F1H2O race in Central Asia, as the championship continues its expansion into new markets. At over 1,600 metres above sea level, Issyk-Kul will be the highest-altitude venue in the championship’s history, set against stunning mountain backdrops and sweeping steppe plains.

Following the inaugural Grand Prix in Kyrgyzstan, the championship will head east to more familiar racing territory for back-to-back Chinese events.

The first venue, scheduled for September 28–30, will be announced shortly, followed by a Grand Prix in Shanghai the following week. The megacity hosted one of the most thrilling races of the 2025 season, and this year’s second Grand Prix of China will return to the Baoshan neighbourhood in the city’s north on October 3–4.

After the great success of the inaugural F1H2O Grand Prix in Jeddah, racing will return to the Red Sea city this November for what promises to be another spectacular event. The Jeddah Grand Prix will take place from November 27 to 29.

The championship will remain in the Middle East for the following race, scheduled for December 11–13, with the exact location to be announced in due course.

The final showdown of the season will once again take place on the iconic Khalid Lagoon, marking the 25th F1H2O Grand Prix of Sharjah. The emirate will host the decisive race of the 2026 season with the Road to Sharjah Grand Prix of Sharjah, bringing the championship to a close on December 18–20.