Fountain Worldwide #99 and Ilmor Marine Win Second Consecutive World Title
Oct 21, 2008
The #99 Fountain Worldwide team, using twin Ilmor High-Performance Marine MV-10 engines based upon the
"In the past 25 years, Ilmor has won championships in some of the highest-level racing series in the world, including Formula One and IndyCar®," 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."
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.
"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 that 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."