Alinghi Red Bull Racing publishes application for 37th America’s Cup
by Alinghi Red Bull Media Dec 14 4:52 PST
December 15, 2021
Ernesto Bertarelli from Switzerland and Hans Peter Steinacher from Austria and Alinghi Red Bull Racing during the announcement of the press conference for participation in the 37th Americas Cup in Geneva on December 14th © Samo Vidic / Red Bull Content Pool
A new team will challenge for the next America’s Cup as Red Bull teams up with double America’s Cup winning syndicate Alinghi to win the oldest trophy in international sport.
Alinghi founder Ernesto Bertarelli and the two-time Olympic champion Hans Peter Steinacher announced the start of the new Alinghi Red Bull Racing and presented their logo at the Société Nautique de Genève, the yacht club that the team will represent. Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner was also there live via satellite.
After more than a decade of absence, one of the most dynamic names in the history of the America’s Cup, Alinghi, returns to compete for the highest honor in the sport of sailing, Red Bull. Alinghi Red Bull Racing, which sails under the flag of the Société Nautique de Genève, will immediately begin preparations to start as the Official Challenger when the Selection Series for the 37th America’s Cup begins in 2024.
“We keep the spirit of victory that has always inspired Alinghi, but we want to do something completely different, completely new, and completely fresh for this challenge,” said Alinghi founder Ernesto Bertarelli. “When we and Dietrich Mateschitz imagined Red Bull’s involvement in the America’s Cup, he said: Our path is not to get into the sport as a sponsor, but to fit in with the team, to enter into a real partnership, to promote young athletes and them to make them the best in their field. He also suggested that we should help add a new dimension to the America’s Cup itself. ”
Bertarelli continued: “With Red Bull we are equal partners in this company. They will bring their expertise, energy and strength to building high performing teams, and we will bring our experience of sailing and winning the America’s Cup to light on the event. ”
Alinghi and Red Bull have long been friendly rivals in series such as the GC32 Racing Tour and the Extreme Sailing Series. Sharing this mutual respect and admiration, Hans Peter Steinacher, two-time Olympic champion in the Tornado class and Austria’s most successful summer athlete, is enthusiastic about the new partnership.
“The America’s Cup is – in terms of volume – the most important sailing event in the world,” said the sailing legend, who, as co-founder of the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup, played a key role in the development of the next generation of sailors and the Red Bull Foiling generation. “Alinghi’s experience and team spirit are unique in sailing. Red Bull is behind this project and I doubt it would have been possible with any other team.”
Through the partnership with Alinghi, Red Bull is also bringing the know-how of the Red Bull Advanced Technologies unit, which has supported Red Bull Racing in achieving a total of five Formula 1 drivers’ championships – including the exciting triumph that Max Verstappen is currently in the last round of the 2021 – as well as four F1 constructors’ championships.
Fresh from the Formula 1 final and live via satellite, Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner – himself a game changer in motorsport – said: “We welcome Alinghi Red Bull Racing to the World of Red Bull and our F1 team is delighted Red Bull Advanced Technologies is a world-class technology center providing services for various units, including other sports, based on the innovative, technical expertise we have gained over our years in formula 1 purchased. Red Bull Advanced Technologies will create synergies with Alinghi Red Bull Racing. We will share our experiences, technical tips, etc. It’s a two-way collaboration. ”
Brad Butterworth, four-time America’s Cup winner, commented: “I’ve been with Alinghi for 20 years and it’s very exciting to take on this new challenge at Red Bull. The America’s Cup is a technology race that is on the water with racing strategy and -tactics. Red Bull has proven this again and again in Formula 1 and in many other sports. ”
Teams Alinghi Red Bull Racing will prepare for include the defender, four-time America’s Cup winner Emirates Team New Zealand and record challenger INEOS Britannia. Since the submission deadline was only opened at the beginning of December, sailing enthusiasts can expect further challengers to be announced in the coming weeks and months.
In conjunction with the America’s Cup, Alinghi will also field Red Bull Racing on the debut of the Women’s America’s Cup regatta and the return of the Youth America’s Cup team. “The growth of the sport and its sailors has always been a major concern for Red Bull and Alinghi. So Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s commitment to these regattas is strong and I think it will be inspiring to see these talent in action, ”said Steinacher.
Alinghi Red Bull Racing will be headquartered near Lausanne in Écublens, Switzerland, where the hull will be built according to the requirements of the Deed of Gift, the authoritative document of the America’s Cup. A core crew led by Alinghi’s GC32 co-skipper Arnaud Psarofaghis and mainsail trimmer Bryan Mettraux will start training in winter to prepare a 100% Swiss Made crew.
Keep up to date with Alinghi Red Bull Racing on the team’s official website: www.alinghiredbullracing.com
