Offshoreonly.com - Ilmor Power Takes Championship in Powerboat P1

Ilmor Powers Powerboat P1 World Champions
Fountain Worldwide #99 and Ilmor Marine Win Second Consecutive World Title

The #99 Fountain Worldwide team, using twin Ilmor Marine MV-10 engines based upon the production Dodge Viper SRT engine, secured a second consecutive Powerboat P1 Evolution class World Championship last weekend at the Portuguese Grand Prix of the Sea in Portimao, Portugal. The Fountain Worldwide team, with pilot James Sheppard and throttleman Craig Wilson, took four victories and eight podium finishes in 11 races during the 2008 season, and is the first team in Powerboat P1 history to win back-to-back world titles in the Evolution class.

The #99 team chose a conservative pace in Saturday’s sprint race because of bad weather and very, very rough seas, focusing upon winning the title rather than the race by finishing ahead of their closest rival, the #60 Gibellato team. A third-place finish for the #99 boat guaranteed the 2008 championship before Sunday’s endurance race was cancelled due to high winds and heavy rains which made the course unsafe.

“Ilmor is thrilled to win a second title with our partners at the Fountain Worldwide team,” said Paul Ray, Ilmor president. “We had no engine-related failures for the second year in a row with the MV-10. We take it very seriously when we say ‘we sell what we race.’ Our customers around the world know the Ilmor V-10 engine they can choose for their own high-performance pleasurecraft is identical to the engines which have powered two consecutive world championships.”

“The competition (this season) was definitely stronger,” said throttleman Craig Wilson after winning the championship. “Our competitors made special engines for the Powerboat P1 series, with a lot more horsepower and lots of dollars (in their) research budgets. We came back with the same specification Ilmor engines as last year, which we think is optimum within the P1 rules. Fountain and Ilmor is a perfect match. I don’t think there’s a better package out there, and we already have a verbal agreement to try and go for three titles next year. As long as I’m racing in Powerboat P1, that’s the package I’d like to have.”

The Pignolo #53 team with team principal Max Ferrari, also powered by Ilmor V-10 engines, secured fourth place in the final standings after scoring their maiden victory two weeks ago in Vigo, Spain. The team, using a Skater hull, utilized the reliability of the Ilmor engines throughout the season to finish in the top-five in the championship.

“In the past 25 years, Ilmor has won championships in some of the highest-level racing series in the world, including Formula One and Indy cars,” explained Ray. “We believe the toughest test and the greatest reward is winning against the best competition. P1 Powerboat is the finest powerboat racing series in the world, and their management and staff do a superb job. They are great at promoting the events and making all of the fans and competitors feel welcome. It’s a first-class organization. We are proud to be champions of the Powerboat P1 World Championship series.

“There is tremendous interest for next year, and we look forward to continuing with both Fountain Worldwide and the Pignolo #53 in 2009,” said Ray. “The competition will only be tougher next year as they fight to catch up. We’ll be ready.”

Visit www.ilmormarine.com to learn more about Ilmor Marine and Ilmor’s 25 years of racing heritage.