30-06-2025
Local Powerboat Driver wins first round race in Italy
Tam Kingfisher Fire & Security powerboat driver Matthew Palfreyman wins the first round of the 2025 F2 World Powerboat Championship in Brindisi, Italy.
The 32-year-old from Aughton, Ormskirk made an impactful start in the Championship opening round and delivered a brilliant performance, in which proved to be tough conditions during the race.
Advertisement
Qualifying was moved to the Sunday morning due to fierce wind concerns. However, this did not affect Palfreyman's performance, with him securing pole position in the opening qualifying session.
READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news LIVE - Marc Guehi latest, Alexander Isak future, Hugo Ekitike wanted
READ MORE: The seven players waving goodbye to Liverpool today as Arne Slot transfer plans take shape
The Team Kingfisher driver won the exact same event in Brindisi last year and was hoping for the same outcome in this year's race.
The race itself lasted 30 laps and also had a yellow flag, due to a crash which involved Team Abu Dhabi's boat and its driver Mansoor Al Mansoori. Even at that point Palfreyman was still clear of the pack behind him.
Advertisement
"The conditions were tough, but I like the challenge of driving in the rough water—it suits my driving style'
'The boat was set up and ran perfectly. Honestly, once I was out in front, I managed to simply pull away and I knew it was going to be difficult for anyone to get past me. I actually felt untouchable out there!' said Palfreyman after the first race of the Championship.
The driver from Ormskirk finished first in the race and was accompanied on the podium by French driver Peter Morin in second place, and Hilmer Wiberg of Sweden in third place.
This win means that Team Kingfisher has now taken an early lead in the 2025 F2 World Championship standings, as they sit in first position with 20 points.
Advertisement
After a dominant first display by Team Kingfisher, owner and team manager Ian Blacker said: 'I'm proud of Matthew and the whole crew.
"A flawless race in difficult conditions. We made the right decision to run the DAC/Optimax boat in this opening round – the boat performed exactly as we'd hoped and gave Matthew what he needed take the win. This is the best possible start for our 2025 season, and now we need to build on this success and shift our focus to Klaipėda.'
Palfreyman finished in fifth place last year but this time around he is looking to beat the rest of the 19 drivers and has his sights set on this year's title, with Team Kingfisher now showing they are ready to challenge for the 2025 Championship.
Team Kingfisher Fire & Security will be back in action for the second round out of five, in the Championship, on the weekend of the July 17-19, when they will race in Klaipeda, Lithuania.
