The Emirates News Agency reported that Alec Weckström and Shaun Torrente delivered a dominant performance for the Victory Team at the Shanghai Grand Prix on Sunday. Weckström clocked the fastest qualifying time of 43.986 seconds to earn pole position for the first time in his career, with Torrente finishing just behind at 44.193 seconds. This result ensured the duo would line up on the front row for Monday’s main race in the third round of the 2026 UIM F1H2O World Championship.
Weckström then converted his qualifying pace into a sprint race victory, finishing ahead of Grant Trask and Sami Seliö to collect 10 points. The result lifted the Finnish driver to sixth in the drivers’ standings with 30 points overall. Torrente followed by winning the second sprint race, moving his season tally to 50 points and consolidating his position at the top of the championship table.
According to series officials, Stefan Arand of the Sharjah Team qualified third with a time of 44.321 seconds and finished second in the second sprint race. Sami Seliö placed fourth in qualifying and third in the first sprint while Grant Trask started fifth and took second in the first sprint. Stefan Hagin of the China Team completed the podium in the second sprint race by finishing third.
The UIM F1H2O World Championship features the highest class of powerboat racing with events held on waterways around the world. The Shanghai Grand Prix takes place on the Huangpu River presenting unique challenges for the competitors due to the urban setting and water conditions. Victory Team’s success on the day highlighted the competitive edge of the UAE-based outfit in the current season.
Official standings following the sprint races show Torrente leading the drivers’ championship with his updated total. Weckström’s progress to sixth place adds to the intra-team battle within Victory. The points from the sprints play a crucial role in shaping the overall title picture ahead of the feature race.
The weekend in Shanghai continues with the main grand prix on Monday where the front-row starters will look to capitalise on their qualifying form. Both drivers have shown strong pace throughout the event boding well for the team’s prospects in the high-stakes powerboat series.
