Italian designer/builder Fabio Buzzi teams up with Hanns Bohinc to chase P1 title
Considered the Enzo Ferrari of powerboating, Italian Fabio Buzzi dominated endurance racing during the 90’s winning almost everything and usually in record time.
In 1994, Austrian powerboat racer and successful entrepreneur Hannes Bohinc from Vienna, Austria, purchased a Buzzi designed racing boat with a winning pedigree. It was then that a relationship between owner and builder began to flourish.
From 1994 until 2001, the Buzzi-Bohinc combination competed at the highest level across Europe and United States States, in an assortment of craft, winning race after race and smashing records, some of which remain in place today.
In 2005, the credentials of the now legendary 1989 FB 46′ and skipper were further underlined when, against the odds and facing strong competition from latest-spec Italian muscle machines, the two racing thoroughbreds took the Powerboat P1 World Championship Evolution Class title. A fitting swansong for the boat and another title for the owner/throttleman. Now this formidable partnership are back and with a brand new boat, they have only one aim in mind… winning!
“Fabio and I want to win the P1 World title,” explains Hannes Bohinc, “We know from recent experience that the best way of doing this is by working together. We do not enter into major projects to finish anywhere other than first. Second place is the first of the last! That is the way I run my business and that is the way I go racing.”
“Of course, with a brand new boat it may take two or even three years to be at its best and racing with diesel engines within the current P1 rules set-up may give us a disadvantage over petrol but, having said that, there are a lot more factors involved in winning a championship. A top class racing boat, reliable engines, thorough preparation, good seamanship, a skilled and totally committed race team and engineers are the starting point. Add to that a large slice of good fortune, which is an essential ingredient when man and machine take on the elements!”
“Tough competition is one thing but the elements are the unknown. They increase the edge and multiply the risk and danger. In other words, to win at the top level of offshore endurance racing is a challenge far greater than the sum of the competition.”
“We take delivery of our new boat, Wettpunkt.com, in March and intend to test on Lake Como throughout April in readiness for the Maltese Grand Prix of the Sea. The engine supplier will be announced shortly.”
The business relationship between Hannes Bohinc and Fabio Buzzi began in 1994. Their achievements include:
1994 : Martini Endurance Trophy : Winner of S2 Class, Third place overall
1994 : Harmsworth Trophy : Winner of S2 Class, Second place overall
1995 : Martini Endurance Trophy : Winner of P2 Class and overall winner of Martini Endurance Trophy
1995 : Harmsworth Trophy : Winner of P2 Class and overall winner of Harmsworth Trophy
1998 : Venice-to-Monte Carlo : Winner of T1 Class, Second place overall
1998 : UIM European Championship : Winner of T1 Class and overall winner of UIM European Championship
1999 : UIM European Championship : Winner of L2 Class and overall winner of UIM European Championship
2001 : UIM Endurance Long Distance Offshore World Record Attempt : NEW WORLD RECORD : Venice-to-Monte Carlo ‘Round Italy’ in 58h,53m,51s (av. Speed 19.338kn)
2001 : Steigenburger Trophy : NEW WORLD RECORD : Monte Carlo-to-London in 63h,14m,5s (av. Speed 32.854kn)
2001 : The Norman Mackinnon Trophy : NEW WORLD RECORD : ‘Round Britain’ in 30h,51m,40s (av. Speed 44.198kn)
2005 : Powerboat P1 World Championship : Winner of Evolution Class
