2026 E1 DUBROVNIK GP RACE REPORT

Sports.com Predict Team Miami powered by MAGNUS delivered its strongest performance of the 2026 season to date at the E1 Dubrovnik GP, securing its first Final appearance of the year and earning 12 valuable Championship points.

Set against the iconic backdrop of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, the Adriatic Sea provided a demanding test throughout the event. Variable conditions and tightly contested racing placed a premium on consistency and strategic execution.

Team Miami built momentum steadily through Qualifying. After placing P8 in the opening session, the squad improved to P6 in Q2. Rianna O’Meara-Hunt continued to find pace in the third Heat, improving on her time but narrowly missing out on a place in Q4 to ultimately secure P5 overall.

In the Group Stages, the Miami squad showcased strong race craft and strategic awareness. In Race 1, Timmy Hansen capitalised on a jump start from Westbrook Racing, opting for an early short lap to gain clean water as he chased down Sara Price. Despite dropping to third after completing his long lap, a penalty for Westbrook promoted the Swede to second place at the flag.

O’Meara-Hunt made a composed start in her race as she settled into fourth through the opening corners. An early short lap strategy briefly elevated the Kiwi to second place before she dropped back to third following the long lap and eventually crossed the line in fourth.

The Race Off delivered further drama. Hansen received a long lap penalty for a marginal jump start of just 0.2 seconds. Drawing on his experience, the Team Miami pilot produced a determined recovery drive to secure third place and the squad’s first spot in the Final this season.

In Final 1, O’Meara-Hunt faced intense competition in increasingly challenging and choppy conditions. Despite a controlled and composed performance, the 24-year-old finished sixth, setting the grid for the decisive Final 2.

A poor launch in Final 2 left Hansen on the back foot from the outset. Pushing hard along the opening straight to regain ground before the first corner, the Swede hit a large wave and lost the nose of the boat on landing. The resulting incident triggered a red flag, bringing Team Miami’s race to an early end.

While the GP ended on a sour note, Team Miami leaves Dubrovnik with 12 Championship points and its best result of the season so far. The team now looks ahead to Monaco (17–18 July), aiming to build on the strong progress demonstrated this week. Steve Curtis, Team Principal: “Dubrovnik marked an important step forward for us this season. To reach our first Final and come away with a season-best points haul shows the progress this team is making. We’ve seen strong execution, growing confidence, and a real fighting spirit from both pilots. Of course, it’s frustrating not to convert that into a stronger finish after the incident in the Final, but there are plenty of positives to take. We’re building momentum at the right time and heading to Monaco with our heads held high.”

Timmy Hansen: “We showed good pace this week and made some smart calls with the strategy. Fighting our way into the Final is a big step forward for us but it’s disappointing how things ended. The conditions were so tough out there and there wasn’t much I could do once I hit that big wave. Still, we’re moving in the right direction and I’m confident we can build on this in Monaco.”

Rianna O’Meara-Hunt: “It was encouraging to see our progress across the two days here in Dubrovnik. I felt more comfortable in the boat with each session, and we were able to consistently improve our performance. The racing was incredibly tight, and strategy played a big role, so there’s a lot to take away from that. Reaching the Final is a great milestone for us this season, even if the end result wasn’t what we wanted. We’ll take the positives and keep pushing forward.”