Italian Team Sony left the Portomaso Grand Prix leading the points of this year's World P1 Championship over the weekend after winning both legs of the opening round in Malta. But it was no walkover. Both events were held in rough sea conditions where the lead constantly changed throughout.
Italian Team Sony left the Portomaso Grand Prix leading the points of this year’s World P1 Championship after winning both legs of this opening round in Malta over the weekend. But it was no walkover. Both events were held in rough sea conditions where the lead constantly changed throughout.
The large crowds lining the coastline were not disappointed as Sony fought off the early challenge from the Italian crew in the Isotta Fraschini-powered 43-footer Fainplast to dominate the race and Championship leader board.
Racing was equally fierce further astern with boats in both Evolution and Supersports classes moving through the field to take podium places. The overtaking performance of the day came from the Wettpunkt.com team, who started at the rear of the Evolution fleet before carving its way up to challenge the lead, eventually finishing second 30 seconds behind the winner after 56 nautical miles of hard racing.
Having failed to start the previous day’s opening round because of engine problems, this was a creditable performance for the F&B designed-Wettpunkt.com outfit which included English professional driver Miles Jennings among its crew.
It was the second win of the weekend for Team Sony competing for the first time in the P1 Championship. Its crew drove a faultless race at averaging 104.8kph in their new Fabio Buzzi-designed craft.
In the Supersport class British entered Buzzi Bullet, owned and piloted by Drew Langdon, finished first with the sister pairing of Aaron and Aurien Chantar aboard Team Chaudron finishing a close second after leading for more than half the race.
The Portomaso Grand Prix of Malta rounded off a very successful first event on the Powerboat P1 World Championship calendar; the next heat taking place in Anzio, Italy on June 10-12.
