Cigarette Smash Poker crew member Matteo Nicolini has outlined his team's ambitions for the weekend of racing that lay ahead in San Benedetto del Tronto.
'We want to overtake the Silverline boat,' says a buoyant Nicolini. 'Our boat is very competitive and out performance is than the team at the top of the Evolution standings who are mainly there due to reliability.'
Cigarette Smash Poker currently sit 28 points behind the British Silverline team after an inconsistent start to the 2009 season.
Nicolini accepts, however, that reliability will be a key element if the team are to take over at the top of the Powerboat P1 World Championship standings in the Evolution class.
The Italian cannot wait to head home this weekend for the Grand Prix of the Sea in San Benedetto del Tronto. 'The last time I competed in Italy was 2002,' Nicolini enthuses. 'For this reason it will be a beautiful experience to race in my own country. After all, P1 speaks Italian!'
Macquarie Island, TAS
