Victory Team takes lead in F1H2O World Championship after Shanghai win

Victory Team moved into the outright lead of the Teams’ Championship in the UIM F1H2O World Championship after claiming the Shanghai Grand Prix title, with Alec Weckstrom powering Victory 3 to victory in Monday’s main race following an outstanding display of speed and dominance from the Dubai-based UAE team.

Victory Team now sits at the top of the Teams’ Championship standings with 100 points, followed by Team Sharjah in second place with 84 points and Team Abu Dhabi in third with 80. Norway’s Strømøy Racing occupies fourth place with 63 points, Finland’s Comparato is fifth with 57, China Team is sixth with 43, Portugal’s Atlantic Team is seventh with 31, while France’s Maverick Team is eighth with 21 points.

Weckstrom’s victory was thoroughly deserved after starting the race from pole position and maintaining his advantage to secure the win. The 20 points earned from the triumph moved him level with his Victory Team teammate Shaun Torrente in third place in the Drivers’ Championship, with both drivers now on 50 points.

The podium was completed by an all-UAE team presence, with Team Sharjah drivers Stefan Arand and Grant Trask finishing second and third respectively. The result enabled Arand to move to the top of the Drivers’ Championship standings with 60 points, ahead of teammate Trask in second place with 51.

Mohammed Hareb, CEO of Dubai International Marine Club, expressed his delight with the victory, saying: “We congratulate Victory Team on this well-deserved win, which reflects the tremendous amount of work being carried out by everyone involved and underlines the prestigious position the UAE team holds in the World Championship as the reigning champion and a team determined to retain its title.

“Alec Weckstrom delivered an outstanding performance throughout the weekend, from practice and qualifying to the Sprint race and the Grand Prix itself. He successfully converted that strong form into an important victory that has put Victory Team at the top of the Teams’ Championship standings.

“Victory Team proudly carries the name of Dubai and the UAE in one of the world’s leading international championships, and our ambition is always to compete for first place. What we achieved in Shanghai gives us a major boost to continue working with the same focus as we aim to maintain our lead and challenge for both the Drivers’ and Teams’ World Championship titles in the next and final round of the season.”

Khalid bin Dasmal, Board Member of Dubai International Marine Club, said the Shanghai Grand Prix victory was the result of a complete team effort.

“The team produced an exceptional performance in Shanghai and made its presence felt from the very beginning, culminating in victory in the main race,” he said. “These successes are never achieved through individual effort alone. They are the result of continuous hard work by the drivers, technical and administrative staff, and every member of the team.

“The victory is important, but what matters most now is maintaining the same level of performance in the upcoming final round. The championship remains wide open and the competition is extremely strong, so we must build on what we achieved in Shanghai and remain fully focused on our ultimate objective of retaining both the Drivers’ and Teams’ World Championship titles.”

Weckstrom was equally delighted with the result, saying: “It is a fantastic feeling to finish this event with the title. We started the race from pole position, and our objective from the outset was to maintain the lead and deliver a strong race. We managed to execute our plan exactly as we wanted.

“The team did an incredible job throughout the race weekend and gave me a fast and powerful boat, so this victory belongs to everyone at Victory Team. We have achieved a very important result in our championship campaign. We will enjoy this victory, but our focus will quickly turn to the next round because our goal is to keep fighting for the World Championship all the way to the end.”

Sharjah will host the next and final round of the season from December 18 to 20.