Thursday, May 14th - The 2026 season’s opening Grand Prix will be the first time most of today’s roster of F1H2O drivers race in Cagliari, but the Sardinian city has a rich history of F1H2O races that has lain dormant for over two decades, finally reignited for the sport’s much-anticipated return this year.
Cagliari has already hosted seven Grand Prix, the first in 1998 and the most recent in 2004. This coincided with an era of dominance for two of F1H2O’s leading legends, Scott Gillman and the championship’s most decorated driver Guido Cappellini, who between them swept up all but one of the first place finishes in Cagliari, with Viktor Kunitch the only other driver to share that distinction following his win in 2001.
The first Grand Prix in Cagliari was held amidst much excitement, not least because at 2.5 kilometers, it was the longest course that F1H2O had ever raced on. The late 1990s were a period defined by the legendary rivalry between the sport’s most decorated drivers: Guido Cappellini and Scott Gillman, and it was expected that the 1998 season’s opener in Cagliari would set the stage for yet another duel between the two as Cappellini sought to regain the title from reigning World Champion Gillman.
During the race itself, Gillman incurred a one-lap penalty for jumping the start light, and was further hampered by fuel starvation within sight of the finish line, allowing Cappellini to win the race and current F1H2O race commentator and former World Champion Jonathon Jones to snatch second place, pushing Gillman to third place. That second place finish marked the start of a stellar season for Jones, in which he went on to win his third and final career World Championship.
Cappellini snatched the win in Cagliari the following year in 1999, but retired from the race in 2000, allowing Gillman to win and gain a vital 20 points that helped him edge out Cappellini for the 2000 World Championship by just three points. Viktor Kunitch triumphed in the 2001 Grand Prix in Cagliari with Gillman in second place behind him, whilst Cappellini spectacularly barrel-rolled out of the race and out of the points. A more cautious Cappellini regained the top spot in Cagliari the following year, on his way to yet another World Championship victory for the Italian in 2002. He achieved the same feat the following year, winning the 2003 race in Cagliari on his way to an eighth World Championship.
The 2004 Grand Prix was the last instalment in Cagliari before this year’s return, and though it took place over two decades ago, the race produced a podium with some names familiar to the 2026 season. Gillman won in Cagliari once again, with current Comparato Racing driver Sami Selio coming second, and current Atlantic Team driver Duarte Benavente achieving his first podium finish having come third. Cédric Deguisne is the only other current driver to have raced in Cagliari, achieving a tenth place finish there in his 2004 debut season.
This year’s return to Cagliari will therefore carry sweet memories for some in the paddock, not least the two current drivers – Sami Selio and Duarte Benavente – who last left the Sardinian city with their podium trophies in hand. Though no longer racing, the two men who defined the era in which racing last took place in Cagliari will still be present in the paddock this year, where they now undertake a rivalry of a different kind as Gillman and Cappellini face off as the team managers of Sharjah Team and Team Abu Dhabi respectively.
