Andrew Tate Earns First F1 Victory at Bradenton Season Opener

Andrew Tate added another milestone to his racing career with his first F1 victory in the series at the Bradenton Area River Regatta, opening the 2026 IHRA F1 Powerboat Series season with a strong performance on the Manatee River.

With fans lining the riverbanks and the bridge overlooking the course, Tate showed his speed early, winning his opening seeding heat before taking another victory in qualifying. He carried that momentum into the 30-lap final, finishing ahead of Jared Jensen and Jeremiah Mayo to secure the win at the first IHRA-sanctioned powerboat race.

Tate competed in an Italian-built DAC hull with a championship pedigree. Previously driven by Alberto Comparato to the 2018 UIM F2 World Championship, the boat has since undergone significant development and now features a Mercury APX four-stroke engine.

A fourth-generation racer, Tate began competing in stock outboard hydroplanes at just nine years old. His career has brought success across multiple classes, including APBA national championships, more than 100 race victories and five inductions into the APBA Hall of Champions.

Unlimited hydroplane fans first saw Tate make his mark in 2016, when he won the Seattle Seafair Cup during his rookie season and earned H1 Unlimited Rookie of the Year honors. He went on to capture the APBA Gold Cup and H1 Unlimited National High Points Championship in 2018, adding another H1 national title in 2024.

The Bradenton victory adds F1 success to that varied racing résumé and gives Tate a strong start to the 2026 series.