The Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship is an international motorboat racing competition for powerboats organised by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) and promoted by H2O Racing, hence it often being referred to as F1H2O. It is the highest class of inshore powerboat racing in the world, and as such, with it sharing the title of F1, is similar to Formula One car racing. Each race lasts approximately 45 minutes following a circuit marked out in a selected stretch of water, usually a lake, river, dock, or sheltered bay.
The Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) is the international governing body of powerboating, based in the Principality of Monaco. It was founded in 1922, in Belgium, as the Union Internationale du Yachting Automobile.
Laith Gaith Pharaon is a global hospitality entrepreneur and real estate property developer. Earlier in his career, he competed on the offshore and F1 powerboat racing circuit for several years.
The UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship is an international motorboat racing competition for powerboats organized by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM). It is the premier class of offshore powerboat racing in the world.
Guido Cappellini is an Italian motorboat racer and the most successful driver of all time in the F1 Powerboat World Championship, with ten world titles. He has also raced in other classes of boat racing, notably the Class 1 offshore championship, since his retirement from Formula 1 at the end of 2009.
The 2011 UIM F1 H2O World Championship was the 28th season of Formula 1 Powerboat racing. The calendar consisted of seven races, beginning in Doha, Qatar on 5 March 2011, and ending in Sharjah, UAE on 16 December 2011. Italian Alex Carella won the Drivers' World Championship, driving for the Qatar Team.
The 2012 UIM F1 H2O World Championship was the 29th season of Formula 1 Powerboat racing. Whilst a provisional calendar consisted of a total of nine rounds, following cancellations, an amended programme of six races, beginning in Doha, Qatar, on 10 March 2012, and ending in Sharjah, UAE, on 7 December 2012 was published by the UIM. At the penultimate race of the year in Abu Dhabi, reigning champion Alex Carella successfully defended his 2011 drivers' title, the Italian becoming a double world champion for the Qatar Team.
The 2010 UIM F1 H2O World Championship was the 27th season of Formula 1 Powerboat racing, and the 30th anniversary year since the series' foundation in 1981. The calendar consisted of eight races, beginning in Portimão, Portugal on 9 May 2010, and ending in Sharjah, UAE on 10 December 2010. Sami Seliö finished the season as drivers' champion driving for Team Mad Croc, clinching his second title with his first having been in 2007.
The 2009 UIM F1 H2O World Championship was the 26th season of Formula 1 Powerboat racing. The calendar consisted of sixteen races, two per event, beginning in Portimão, Portugal on 4 April 2009, and ending in Sharjah, UAE on 11 December 2009. The format of two races per weekend was a new feature for 2009, introduced by series promoter Nicolo di San Germano at the official pre-season meeting in March. Guido Cappellini, driving for Zepter Team, was drivers' champion, securing an unprecedented tenth championship crown before retiring at the end of the year.
The 2013 UIM F1 H2O World Championship was the 30th season of Formula 1 Powerboat racing. For the first time in the championship's history, there was an event held in South America, with the first race of the year taking place in Brasilia on 1 and 2 June. In addition, the series' 250th race since it began in 1981 took place on 2 October at the Grand Prix of China in Liuzhou.
The 2008 UIM F1 World Championship was the 25th season of Formula 1 Powerboat racing. The calendar consisted of eight events, beginning in Doha, Qatar on 29 March 2008, and ending in Sharjah, UAE on 12 December 2008. Jay Price, driving for the Qatar Team, secured the drivers' title, becoming only the second American to win the championship in its history.
The 2014 UIM F1 H2O World Championship was the 31st season of Formula 1 Powerboat racing. Alex Carella, driving for the Qatar Team, entered the season as defending triple world champion having successfully defended his world championship for the second year in a row in 2013.
The Formula-4s Powerboat World Championship is an international inshore powerboat racing competition for powerboats organised by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), hence it often being referred to as F4s. “S” letter refers to abbreviation from four-stroke, which means that four-stroke boat engines are being used in this class.
The 2007 UIM F1 World Championship was the 24th season of Formula 1 Powerboat racing. The calendar consisted of eight events, beginning in Portimao, Portugal on 13 May 2007, and ending in Sharjah, UAE on 14 December 2007. Sami Seliö, driving for F1 Team Energy, secured his maiden drivers' title, the first driver outside of Italy, the US and the UK to do so.
The 2015 UIM F1 H2O World Championship was the 32nd season of Formula 1 Powerboat racing. The season consisted of six races, beginning in Doha, Qatar, on 14 March 2015, and ending in Sharjah, UAE, on 18 December 2015.
The 2016 UIM F1 H2O World Championship was the 33rd season of Formula 1 Powerboat racing. The season consisted of seven races, beginning in Dubai, UAE on 4 March 2016, and ending in Sharjah, UAE on 16 December 2016, although initial plans indicated a ten race calendar.
The 2006 UIM F1 World Championship was the 23rd season of Formula 1 Powerboat racing. The calendar consisted of six events, beginning in Doha, Qatar on 15 April 2006, and ending in Sharjah, UAE on 15 December 2006. Scott Gillman, driving for the Emirates F1 Team, clinched his fourth and ultimately last F1 championship which remains the second highest total in the sport's history.
The 2017 UIM F1 H2O World Championship was the 34th season of Formula 1 Powerboat racing. An initial seven race calendar was released at the end of January, with the championship scheduled to begin in Portimão, Portugal on 23 April and conclude in Sharjah, UAE on 15 December.
Duarte Benavente is a Portuguese powerboat racer and the 2020 UIM F2 World Champion.
The 2021 UIM F1 H2O World Championship was the 37th season of Formula 1 Powerboat racing. Jonas Andersson won the championship.
