Class 1 ace considers Powerboat P1 return

Friday 10 October 2008

The #10 Fantastic 1 Cigarette Evolution team scored second in Saturday's Sprint race in Portugal

Class 1 throttleman Matteo Nicolini has said he’d like to return to the Powerboat P1 championship next year if he can, after racing in three events with the #10 Fantastic 1 Cigarette Racing Team Europe Evolution-class entry. The Italian helped the outfit score its maiden Powerboat P1 victory on his first outing with the team in Tunisia.

Nicolini has throttled the Qatar 95 catamaran in the Class 1 series for much of the year, but was a last-minute replacement for regulat #10 Fantastic 1 throttleman Lino Di Biase after he fell ill in Tunisia. Despite arriving in the dry pit on Sunday morning, Nicolini quickly got up to speed with the Mercury-powered Cigarette monohull, with the team scoring its first win of 2008 in Nicolini’s debut race.

Nicolini continued with the outfit in Vigo, Spain, and Portimao, Portugal, scoring another second-place finish. “I’d like to try and return for a few races next year, but I don’t know if it’s possible,” he said. “A lot depends on the calendars. Class 1 is obviously a big priority, but it would be nice to race in both series if I could.”

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