12:34 AM Tue 8 Dec 2009 GMT
Blue Shaft throttleman Federico Montanari has vowed that his team will improve following a mixed 2009 season in the Powerboat P1 World Championship.
Montanari, partnered by fellow Italian Alfredo Zanardo, finished sixth in the SuperSport class last term, just ahead of family rival Alfredo Nuzzo in the #22 Big Sergio boat.
Reliability played an important role in Blue Shaft's triumph over their boat-mate: 'The regulations in Powerboat P1 ensure that reliability as well as speed is rewarded in terms of points, and we certainly benefited from this, having finished 80 or 90% of the races.'
Despite not being able to compete for honours in 2009, Montanari is extremely upbeat about the season: 'The performance of our boat was not at the same level as the majority of our opponents in SuperSport. Nevertheless, it was an amazing experience for everyone involved.
'The highlight for me came in Syracuse when we were locked in a side-by-side battle with Big Sergio throughout the weekend. On the flipside, Gothenburg was an extremely difficult round for us. We came away with pride slightly dented and our lowest points haul of the season.
'We are confident we can improve for 2010. It was great racing against Big Sergio last season and have a great sporting relationship with them. However, we both want to have more competitive set-ups next season with a view to challenging further up the field.'
www.powerboatp1.com
by Powerboat P1 Media
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