Jonas Andersson returns to Shanghai this October with unfinished business. The Swedish hydroplane ace won last year’s Grand Prix on the Baoshan course, his sole victory in an otherwise frustrating 2025 season, and he arrives for round three of the 2026 championship determined to repeat that performance.
“Winning is always what I strive for,” Andersson says simply. “We are very excited to return, and we will do everything we can to repeat last year’s result.”
His motivation is clear enough. Two rounds into the season, he sits outside the title picture after sixth place in Cagliari and fifth in Kyrgyzstan, where reigning champion Shaun Torrente reasserted himself with a victory. For a three-time world champion, that’s not good enough. A win on familiar waters would restart his championship campaign and keep him within striking distance of matching Torrente’s four titles.
Last year’s Shanghai race delivered exactly the kind of battle that makes circuit powerboat racing compelling. Torrente led for the opening eleven laps before Andersson applied relentless pressure on the Baoshan circuit. The Swedish driver made his move on lap twelve, took the lead, and held it through to the finish, navigating the choppy water that characterises the course.
Andersson relishes those conditions. “The entire course was tough, as the water gets choppy with quays surrounding the whole course,” he recalls. “I really enjoy racing in tough and demanding conditions.” His mastery came down to preparation. Before the race, his team had sorted the setup issues that plagued qualifying. “My boat and setup were perfect,” he says.
This year brings new variables. Andersson has shifted to Team Abu Dhabi, a squad undergoing significant restructuring. The team now counts ten-time world champion Guido Cappellini among its management ranks. Thani Al Qamzi, himself a motorsport legend, oversees operations as CEO. Majed Al Mansoori arrives as the new Assistant Technical Director, overseeing upgrades to the racing package. AD Ports Group has recently joined as Official Logistics Partner, bolstering the team’s capabilities.
Yet despite these changes, Andersson’s approach feels reassuringly straightforward. “Nothing in particular has changed,” he says. “The preparations are more or less the same, as the entire team works together.”
He’ll face genuine opposition. Stefan Arand, who won in Cagliari, spectacularly climbed from the back of the field to fourth place in Shanghai last year. Torrente, still the form driver, will be looking to build momentum. The crowds that packed the Shanghai course last October will be back too, and Andersson clearly relishes that atmosphere.
The Grand Prix of Shanghai takes place October 4-5. For Andersson, it represents a chance to settle back into winning ways and remind the F1H2O paddock why he remains a serious title contender. One win, on a course where he’s already proven he belongs, might be exactly what his season needs.
