Qatar 95 throttleman, Matteo Nicolini, is confident that the team has resolved the issues that cost him and Abdullah Al-Sulaiti a certain race win in the season-opener in Qatar, and that they will be amongst the front-runners in the BMW Norwegian Grand Prix in Arendal in July.
Nicolini was out testing Qatar 95 on Lake Lecco in Italy last week with the main aim to find reliability and test a new exhaust system. 'This is still a relatively new engine package for us,' he said. 'But in five races we have taken one race and pole position win and a podium. Now we need to ensure reliability.
'We have the performance. The boat is very fast, good in the turns and we have a very good weight balance, even if we suffer from the additional weight of fuel at the start. Carrying an extra 150 kg really is a lot in terms of reduced acceleration, and acceleration is what makes the difference in Class 1 these days. But with the advantage of the torque of the V8 and hull modifications that I have made to the Victory-designed hull, the boat is now performing very well.'
The team also tested a 'silent' exhaust system for the first time in similar conditions they will face in Arendal. 'Testing on Lake Lecco has been an issue in the past because of noise, and in Arendal the authorities are very tight on this, but now no one complains. The test gave us the opportunity to replicate the conditions in Arendal and was very positive.'
Rottnest Island, WA
