Jonas Andersson is heading back to the scene of his only Grand Prix win of the 2025 season, and the three-time World Champion has made his intentions for Shanghai perfectly clear: he wants to win again.
The third round of the 2026 UIM F1H2O World Championship returns to the Baoshan district of Shanghai on October 4-5, on the same course that produced one of last year's most dramatic races. That contest was filled with overtakes and barrel rolls, and it ended with Andersson taking the chequered flag after a tough weekend that started with technical issues in qualifying.
The Swede had qualified down in fifth place last year after those problems, well below his usual standard. But he fought back to win his Sprint Race, then went one better the following day by winning the Grand Prix itself.
Shaun Torrente had started from pole in Shanghai last year and led the opening eleven laps before Andersson's pressure told. The Swede made his move on lap twelve and held the lead for the remainder of the race.
Andersson remembers the conditions as brutal. "The entire course was tough, as the water gets choppy with quays surrounding the whole course," he said. He reckons that suited him. "I really enjoy racing in tough and demanding conditions."
He put last year's win down to preparation, saying his "boat and setup were perfect" once the qualifying issues had been sorted. His move to Team Abu Dhabi brings fresh intrigue to this year's return, given the technical changes that have come with it. His new team now counts ten-time World Champion Guido Cappellini among its management, with legendary driver Thani Al Qamzi as CEO overseeing upgrades under new Assistant Technical Director Majed Al Mansoori. AD Ports Group has also recently joined as the team's Official Logistics Partner.
Despite the changes around him, Andersson says his own approach hasn't shifted. "Nothing in particular [has changed]. The preparations are more or less the same, as the entire team works together."
Nor have his ambitions changed. "Winning is always what I strive for. We are very excited to return, and we will do everything we can to repeat last year's result."
A win has proved hard to find so far this season. Andersson finished sixth in the opening Grand Prix in Cagliari and fifth in Kyrgyzstan. Current World Champion Torrente showed he remains the man to beat with victory in Kyrgyzstan, while Cagliari winner Stefan Arand will also be a threat after a standout drive in Shanghai last year that saw him charge from the back of the field to finish fourth.
Still, a driver of Andersson's calibre can never be ruled out. A win in Shanghai would give him real momentum in the title race, potentially setting up a tilt at a fourth world championship to match Torrente's tally. Andersson, for his part, seems unbothered by the pressure, instead looking forward to the "large crowds and a fantastic atmosphere" he recalls from Shanghai last year.
