03/06/2026
PRESS RELEASE- DUARTE BENAVENTE LAUNCHES HIS BID FOR THE 2026 UIM F2 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN KLAIPĖDA
Klaipėda, Lithuania — Duarte Benavente launches his bid to become 2026 UIM F2 World Champion this weekend as the Atlantic Team driver arrives in Klaipėda for the opening round of the new season.
Fresh from an intense weekend of racing in Sardinia at the opening round of the F1H2O World Championship, Benavente heads straight into F2 action with momentum, focus, and a renewed determination to fight at the front.
Sixteen of the world’s top F2 drivers will converge on the Baltic seaport as the battle for the World Championship crown begins. Klaipėda is renowned for its challenging racing environment, with busy commercial waterways and surrounding harbour walls creating unpredictable swells that demand precision, bravery, and absolute control.
For Benavente, the 2026 season represents an opportunity to reset and strike back after a turbulent start to 2025. Forced to retire from the opening two rounds last year, he rebuilt his campaign with trademark resilience, ultimately ending the season on a high with a podium finish at the final round in Portugal. Now, he aims to carry that late season form into the new championship.
“Last year tested us, but it also strengthened us,” said Benavente. “We finished 2025 with the pace and confidence we expect from ourselves, and the goal now is to start 2026 exactly where we ended — fighting at the front. Klaipėda is a tough place to begin the season, but it’s a challenge we’re ready for.”
With a refined technical package, a focused winter of preparation, and the full support of Atlantic Team behind him, Benavente begins his 2026 campaign with one clear objective: to fight for the F2 World Championship title from the very first lap.
-ENDS-
