Carpitella mulls full-time Powerboat P1 return

Tuesday 07 October 2008

#88 Kiton Outerlimits crew Giancarlo Cangiano and Giovanni Carpitella won the Evolution Sprint in Portugal

Versatile offshore racer Giovanni Carpitella has said he’d happily consider a full-time return to Powerboat P1 after returning to the series for the final two events of 2008. The 2006 Powerboat P1 ‘Driver of the Year’ replaced Joe Sgro in the #88 Kiton Outerlimits boat for the races in Vigo, Spain, and Portimao, Portugal.

Carpitella raced in Powerboat P1 in the #66 Team Sony boat in 2005 and the #99 Team Kerakoll entry in 2006 before joining the OSG Racing outfit of Giancarlo Cangiano for the Italian’s Evolution class title-defence in 2007.

Cangiano picked Carpitalla to replace Sgro as throttleman of the #88 Kiton Outerlimits Evolution-class boat for the final two events this year. The pair won the Portuguese Grand Prix of the Sea Sprint race in incredibly rough conditions, and Carpitella has said he’d like to return for more.

“I’d like to be back if I can, but it depends on Giancarlo,” Carpitella said. “He has to decide what his plans are for 2008, and I need to look at my calendar. I could be racing in the Middle East in January through to March, and possibly doing other things in Europe through the summer. But I enjoy the Powerboat P1 atmosphere – there are some nice people and old friends here, so it has been fun to be back.

“I tested the Outerlimits boat [that #88 Kiton Outerlimits used in 2008] a few years ago, and recommended it to Giancarlo. It’s a very nice boat to drive, so it has been good to race it with him this year. I had a lot of calls through the season to come back to Powerboat P1, but I preferred to wait for Giancarlo if I could.”

To look back at the 12 moments that made the 2008 Powerboat P1 season so great, click here.