Liverpool set to host final rounds of the Honda Formula 4-Stroke championship
For the third consecutive year Liverpool is set to host the final two rounds of the Honda Formula 4-Stroke championship when the 40 strong fleet takes to the River Mersey on September 29-30.
As the only city centre race on the calendar, the Grand Prix of Liverpool brings powerboat racing to the heart of Merseyside and is expected to provide the closest racing of the season.
The Albert Dock course will be a combination of fast straights and tight corners, so the pressure will be on the drivers and navigators to judge the water and the course correctly.With its fast current and high swells the Mersey is set to be a tough challenge for competitors in both the 150hp and 225hp classes. Experience and courage will play key roles in determining the winners. With only a handful of points separating the top runners in both championships, titles are up for grabs.
In the 150hp championship, Salcombe Racing, Lings Racing, and Premier
Cru are all in with a chance of clinching the title. In the 225hp championship Negotiator tops the table followed by defending champions Team Raymarine
and Airwaves Claygate.
“We’ve had a phenomenal action-packed race season so far,” said Martin Sanders, General Manager Honda UK Power Equipment. “Liverpool is the perfect place to host the finale, and what a finale it promises to be. The world heritage listed Albert Dock always provides one of the most stunning locations for the race boats and with so much still at stake we’re in for a great weekend of racing.”
In addition to the high speed racing, the Albert Dock will also play host to the Honda RYA Youth RIB Champion of Champions event (Saturday 29th September), where champions of the Youth RIB Challenge battle it out with previous adult champions of the Honda Formula 4-Stroke series. As competitors control and manoeuvre a Honda powered RIB around a task orientated pre-set course, in the quickest time, skill will play a key role in determining the ultimate champion.
“We look forward to welcoming the Honda Formula 4-Stroke Series back to Liverpool,” said Councillor Warren Bradley, Leader of Liverpool City Council. “The historic Mersey waterfront will once again provide a superb backdrop for what promises to be a really great weekend.”
With nearly 40 teams competing in the two championships, the Honda Formula 4-Stroke Series is the largest offshore powerboat group in the world. The sea wall provides an excellent vantage point, with spectators able to look down onto the racecourse. Action kicks off at 12 noon on Saturday and 12:30pm on Sunday.
