Stefan Arand survives Cagliari chaos to win F1H2O Italian Grand Prix

Stefan Arand arrived in Cagliari as the winner of the final race of the 2025 UIM F1H2O season. He left as the driver everyone will be watching in 2026.

The 23-year-old Estonian claimed victory in the Regione Sardegna Grand Prix of Italy on Sunday in conditions that turned one of the most anticipated season openers in years into a brutal survival test. Five drivers barrel-rolled out of the race, the defending World Champion failed to score, and only 11 of the 18 starters were classified at the finish.

For those unfamiliar with the sport, F1H2O is circuit powerboat racing at its most extreme: single-seater tunnel-hull catamarans capable of more than 220km/h on closed saltwater courses. Drivers sit centimetres above the water, enduring heavy G-forces while skimming across chop at extraordinary speeds. A barrel roll, often triggered by a mistimed turn or rough water, usually means instant retirement. Cagliari produced five of them.

Defending World Champion Shaun Torrente was among the casualties. The American arrived in Sardinia aiming to launch his final season with a statement victory as he pursues a fifth world title. He qualified on pole position and led the opening lap before clipping and puncturing a buoy, earning a penalty lap.

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The weekend had hinted at a showdown between Torrente and Rusty Wyatt. Torrente and Peter Morin topped Friday’s free practice sessions, while Saturday’s qualifying saw Torrente secure his 13th career pole after a tense three-round battle with Wyatt. Grant Trask briefly set the fastest time, but a penalty for impeding another driver dropped him from second to sixth on the grid, elevating Rusty Wyatt and Stefan Arand to the front row positions behind pole-sitter Shaun Torrente.

The Sprint Races reinforced expectations. Torrente dominated Sprint Race 1, while Wyatt controlled Sprint Race 2. Neither result suggested what was about to unfold on Sunday.

A strengthening westerly wind shortly before the start prompted officials to abandon the traditional standing start in favour of a rolling start. When the green flag dropped, Torrente led away from pole with Wyatt and Arand immediately applying pressure.

The first drama came almost instantly. Torrente clipped the Turn 3 buoy, allowing Wyatt to slip into the lead. Moments later, Sami Selio barrel-rolled at the same corner, bringing out the yellow flags before the opening lap had even been completed.

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Following the restart, the Torrente-Wyatt battle resumed immediately. Wyatt swept around the outside at Turn 2 to take the lead, only for Torrente to counter at Turn 3. Neither driver backed off.

The race was transformed within seconds.

Wyatt barrel-rolled at Turn 2 while pushing hard for the lead. Moments later Torrente suffered the same fate at Turn 5. The two pre-race favourites were out, leaving the championship picture suddenly wide open.

Arand inherited the lead and never looked back.

Behind him, the attrition continued. Dillard barrel-rolled on lap 30, while Morin crashed out with ten laps remaining. By the chequered flag, more than a third of the field had been eliminated.

Arand’s teammate Grant Trask finished second to complete a dominant one-two result for Sharjah Team. Stromoy Racing’s Bartek Marszalek secured third, while Alberto Comparato held off Ben Jelf for fourth. Three-time World Champion Jonas Andersson finished sixth after a solid but unspectacular debut outing with Team Abu Dhabi.

The result continued Arand’s remarkable run of form. Having won the final race of 2025 in Sharjah, he has now opened the new season with another Grand Prix victory.

Sharjah Team manager Scott Gillman, himself a multiple winner in Cagliari during his racing career, was unsurprised by the performance.

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“Stefan in the rough waters is one of the toughest to beat. He’s going to be a tough, tough contender for the title,” Gillman said.

Arand now leads the UIM F1H2O World Championship standings outright. While Torrente collected 10 points for winning Sprint Race 1, his Sunday retirement left him scoreless in the Grand Prix itself. Arand maximised the opportunity, combining his 20-point Grand Prix victory with eight sprint-race points to leave Cagliari with a commanding 28-point total.

The message from Sardinia is already clear: Stefan Arand is no longer an emerging talent. He is a genuine championship contender.