Grimaldi Lines, through their local agents Sullivan Maritime Ltd are again sponsoring a group of SIX Maltese motorsport enthusiasts to compete in a number of motor racing events in Sicily and Italy in 2009.
This is the second year in succession in which Grimaldi Lines will be sponsoring the team, following their outstanding success last year when Maltese drivers won all four events in which they competed.
Having competed so successfully in four hill climbs last season the team has set it’s sights higher for 2009 and will be competing in the four round Campionato Regionale Italiano di Velocita in Circuito. All four rounds of this championship take place at the Autodromo Racalmuto, near Agrigento, a fully licenced circuit built to International standards in all respects. The circuit provides it’s own testing and garage facilities and includes it’s own hotel, in which the Malta team will be staying.
The team for this first event this coming weekend is made up of six local drivers, all managed by Joe Anastasi who now has very good contacts with the racing fraternity in Sicily following years of racing himself in the past, as well as managing the team so successfully last season.
Four of the six Grimaldi Team Malta drivers will be competing with singleseater racing cars. These include Jamie Sammut who is entered in the F9 class for Formula cars under 2000cc with his potent Reynard Cosworth, prepared by Jason’s Garage of Mosta.
Three drivers are entered in the F4 class for single seaters under 1400cc. These include present ICC champion Joshua Anastasi, who also won TWO of the four events in which he competed in Sicily last season.
For this season Joshua drives a brand new JBR - 4, also sponsored by John Bull Racing, Dunlop, Shell and Ryans Irish Pub. Steve Zammit Cutajar, who participated successfully in three Sicilian events last season, is again entered with his immaculate Tatuus Hyabusa prepared by Joe “Doda” Borg, whilst a newcomer to Sicilian racing Alan Curmi makes his baptism of fire at Racalmuto driving JBR-3, the car that won the ICC championship last season.
David Anastasi competed in the full complement of Sicilian races last season and is set to do the same again this season with his Grimaldi / Dunlop sponsored Mini Doda which is powered by a 1200 Honda Blackbird engine, and which is entered in the SP3 class for Prototypes under 1300cc whilst Edward Calleja makes this race number 3 in Sicily, again driving his very interesting Lotus Elise, powered by a Honda 1800 engine and also prepared by “Doda”.
Circuit racing is a totally new ball game for Maltese drivers but the air among the team is one of total confidence. “ We will be at the circuit all Friday sorting out gearing and aerodynamics on the cars and I’m confident we will produce some excellent results again. Our boys are all top class and I’m sure it won’t take them too long to get used to the idea of wheel to wheel racing” explained a boyant Joe Anastasi.
If last year’s results are anything to go by, then we can expect to see the Maltese flag flying high once again at Racalmuto this weekend.