| Following confirmation that the Italian SuperSport World Champion, Angelo Tedeschi, and his Racing Project team will defend its crown using its 2007 world-beating Mercruiser-powered Chaudron 41', the boat will continue to be race-prepared by Chaudron whose own World Championship challenge remains, for the time being, 'under wraps'. "We originally started to build another 41-footer to race in P1 knowing that, in the hands of Aaron and Audrien, we would have a strong chance of winning the World Championship," explains Charlie Ciantar, owner of Chaudron Powerboats. "However, this would put us head-to-head with Angelo who is not just a good customer but also a very good friend. It was a big dilemma, but then we received a firm order for a pleasure version of the Chaudron 41 which we decided to fulfil using the boat already in production. It was good business and at the same time ensured that we conformed with P1's new production class regulations. |
In doing so, it has meant a rethink of our own racing plans for 2008 which we will announce in the coming weeks... but one thing we can confirm, the Maltese flag will be flying high in 2008!" The new Chaudron 41-foot pleasure craft is currently under construction at the company's Fgura boatyard and is expected to be completed during May. "We are adding a few refinements to the pleasure boat that would not necessarily feature on a race boat but, in general, it will look and feel like a world champion," Charlie continues. "If all goes to plan the public will see two Chaudron 41's on the water when the P1 World Championship comes to the Island."
The 2008 Powerboat P1 Maltese Grand Prix of the Sea will take place over the weekend of 6th-8th June. |
