American Dillard Joins China CTIC Team For F1H2O World Championship Season
The China CTIC Team recently announced that American driver Brent Dillard will race in the 2023 Union Internationale Motonautique F1H2O World Championship. The two-time American Power Boat Association Hall of Champions member has been tasked with replacing veteran driver Philippe Chiappe, a three-time F1H2O world champion from France who announced his retirement from competition after his victory in the Middle East at the final race of the 2022 season in December, but will remain with the China CTIC Team as its Sporting Director.
Brent Dillard is excited to get his shot competing in the F1H2O World Championship for the China CTIC Team.
The 46-year-old Dillard, who is joining forces with the Chinese operation after three seasons racing in the UIM F2 World Championship, is going to race with the support of radio man David Moore, starting with the F1H2O Grand Prix of Indonesia on Toba Lake in late February. Dillard’s new teammate, China CTIC Team driver Peter Morin who is also from France, will race in boat No. 7 and Dillard will race in boat No. 8.
“I am very excited and thankful for the opportunity to race for such a professional and successful team,” said Dillard, who thanked Dillard Financial Solutions and his parents, Steve and Teresa Dillard, for their continued support. “I had such a great experience racing for JRM Racing. I wish Mette, Jamey and the entire JRM team good luck this year. Over the years I have built a strong relationship with David Moore and I have to thank him for everything he has done to make this happen. F1H2O has always been my ultimate goal. Thank you Philippe Dessertenne for the opportunity.”
Dillard, who was born on a military base in Jacksonville, Fla., currently lives in Dalzell, S.C. After playing basketball during his time at the Hampden Sydney College in Virginia, he switched his focus to boat racing and ultimately became a nine-time APBA U.S. National high points champion across three classes. He has competed in eight North American APBA and 14 U.S. APBA national championships and was inducted into the organization’s Hall of Champions in 2004 and 2008.
In 2004, 2008 and 2010, Dillard won the Formula 3 championship. In 2013, he won the Formula 2 USA championship and he was the rookie of the year in the 2015 Formula 1 IOGP series. In addition to competing in the UIM F2 World Championship with JRM Racing—where he won his last race in Portugal and finished sixth in the 2022 drivers’ championship—Dillard also won the 2021 American Formula 1 race in Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
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