NEWS - Mercury Racing green with pride

Mercury Racing’s efforts developing low-emission engines were recently acknowledged by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), the peak organisation for outboard powerboat racing worldwide.

The body awarded Mercury Racing the 2011 Environmental Award for Economic Feasibility and Sustainability for its continued commitment in reducing emissions in powerboat racing, first showcased in 1997 during the 24 Hours of Rouen endurance race in France, when two stock 200hp Mercury OptiMax outboard-powered boats finished 4th and 5th overall.

Mercury Racing’s ongoing refinement of the OptiMax engine eventually propelled Team Mercury to victory at Rouen in 2000, against a line-up of elite racers, many fitted with traditional, larger-displacement race engines. This was the first time a low-emissions engine had won the event since its inception in 1964.

Today, the OptiMax 200XS SST race outboard dominates the Class II competition at Rouen and was the motor of choice for Chris Fairchild when he claimed the 2011 UIM SST 120 World Championship in Michigan, USA.

OptiMax engines are improving the efficiency of the one-make series including the UIM F1H2O Nations Cup and the UIM Class 3C offshore, while the popular, entry-level Mercury Racing’s 60hp EFI Formula Race outboard is favoured among competitors in the UIM F4S outboard racing series.