Motoring
How F1 drivers’ mini jet boats came to life
Check out how a pair of mini jet boats transformed into seaworthy vehicles for Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo.
What happens when you take two of the world’s best drivers completely out of their element — off the track and onto the water — and put their skills to the test? Earlier this week, the Miami waterways became the perfect proving ground when they transformed into a racetrack with the unexpected scene of Scuderia AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda and Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo battling it out aboard mini jet boats. The showdown was the first round of an (Un)Serious Race Series between the two Formula 1 teams.
Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo on Miami’s Biscayne Bay
© Garth Milan
Just over six feet long (2.08 meters), boasting 28hp and capable of speeds up to 30mp/h (48km/h), the boats were built in collaboration between Torch Craft Marine and Jetstream Adventure Boats. Powered by two-stroke engines, these small boats packed a punch on the open water — and made for great fun — especially with Tsunoda and Ricciardo behind the wheel.
To give the boats the proper flair for a race weekend in Miami, Metrowrapz took the pair of mini jet boats and wrapped them in stunning Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Alpha Tauri liveries. Check out a full behind-the-scenes look at the wrapping process, in its full ASMR-style glory, and dive into the craft and artistry that went into these custom wraps.
Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo on Miami’s Biscayne Bay
© Garth Milan
While he was clearly riding in style, Ricciardo declared the technical specifications suited Tsunoda better after a narrow defeat.
“When I first saw the mini jet boat, I thought that for once, Yuki can have the last laugh. Normally he’s the one getting a lot of stick about his size. He actually fit pretty good in this, and I looked out of place. It was built for Yuki and that’s about it,” Ricciardo surmised. "I got overtaken in the middle of the race and then I overtook back at the end of the race. Two wins in Miami, it’s good,” beamed Tsunoda.
© Driven Media Inc.
© Driven Media Inc.
© Driven Media Inc.
© Driven Media Inc.
“I blame the vehicle, it is always the vehicle, never the person behind the wheel,” the Aussie cheekily added. “With the result there are no losers today, there are lessons learned. There are triumphant tribulations and joys that lie ahead and that is where we’re going to leave it.”
Buoyed by his win in the biggest match race in Miami, Tsunoda will surely take extra motivation into the second-ever Miami Grand Prix.
The (Un)Serious Race Series will continue ahead of a handful of Grand Prix this season. Scuderia AlphaTauri hold the upper-hand and have put pressure on Oracle Red Bull Racing to take a win in a yet-to-be-announced unserious race vehicle, in a surprising race location.
Watch Tsunoda and Ricciardo race head-to-head in mini jet boats here.
4 min
Ricciardo vs Tsunoda in mini jet boats
Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri drivers race each other for fun ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.
