The Cohen Brothers have stated that they want to be the first powerboat racing team in the Southern Hemisphere to compete in a national race series with Mercury Racing’s new 200 APX 4-Stroke motor.
Cohen Brothers Racing compete in the Australia Formula Powerboat Grand Prix Series who run by similar class rules to the NGKF1 series in the USA. The engines which they currently use are based off a stock 200hp 2.5 litre Mercury V6 powerhead.
When we asked Damon Cohen about his thoughts on the Mercury Racing 200 APX he replied
Our current class of engine is great and relatively cheap to put together as we are restricted on what internals we can use however the ongoing costs of re-builds, expensive fuels and oils and labour required to build and maintain these engines is what makes the new 4-Stroke alternative so attractive.
Those who saw the PRW Live Stream with Tim Seebold the NGKF1 Promoter and Mercury Racing General Manager Stuart Halley at Mercury Racing, will know that the 200 APX engine has now been homologated to run in both the NGKF1 Series and the UIM F2 with the long-term goal of replacing the Direct Injected 2-Stroke Optimax. Several teams in the USA have already had the opportunity to test the two engines back-to-back with positive and exciting results.
Brock Cohen had this to say
We are very big advocates for this new era of engine and the small amount of data which has been shared shows it is a step towards a cleaner and faster racing future. Damon and I are seriously considering selling up all our 2-Stroke engines and related equipment to try fund the transition into this new 4-Stroke racing engine. The initial outlay is quite high but eventually I think it will balance itself out. My fingers are crossed that we can try make this happen.
Cohen Bros Racing plan to complete the 2022 AFPGP racing season with their current engine combinations with the aim to try transition into the Mercury Racing 200 APX for 2023. They are currently in negotiations with current and potential sponsors & partners to see if the plan is viable.
Next week PRW will report further announcements from the team about their preparations for Round One of The Australian Formula Power Boat Grand Prix Series.
In the meantime, you can follow Cohen Bros Racing on their respective social media platforms below:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CohenBrosRacing
Instagram: @CohenBrosRacing
Website: www.cohenbrosracing.com.au
