Alinghi withdraws
Swiss entry in the America’s Cup, Alinghi Red Bull Racing will not be part of AC38 and has announced that it has begun an “orderly wind-down” of the team.
23 April 2025
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In a statement, the team declared, “Despite all our efforts, we – Alinghi Red Bull Racing – have not been able to find agreement with the Defender of the America’s Cup for the future of the event.
“We would like to have seen more accountability, greater transparency and new opportunities to perform not only individually but as a group. That way we might all of us together could have delivered a commercially viable event capable of attracting global TV coverage, spectators and sponsors.
“So, it is with great disappointment that we have begun an orderly wind-down of the Alinghi Red Bull Racing team.”
The statement continued, “The brands that have formed that team will always be part of the America’s Cup history and the last few years have been an incredible journey.
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“We thank every team member, every sponsor and every supporter for their belief, trust and commitment throughout.”
In response, Emirates Team New Zealand and America’s Cup Event Chief Executive, Grant Dalton said the announcement came as a surprise.
“It is surprising to hear the news of Alinghi Red Bull Racing, although it has been somewhat obvious for some time that they have been struggling to recover from their lacklustre performance in Barcelona last October and give themselves an ‘on-water’ opportunity to win in AC38,” said Dalton.
“Since the conclusion of AC37, all the teams have been actively involved in trying to form an arrangement which would secure a more open and inclusive running of the America’s Cup and Alinghi Red Bull Racing have seemingly been very supportive of the initiative along with all participants.
“There have even been specific concessions in the draft Protocol at Alinghi’s request which have been accommodated, such as relaxing the nationality rule to allow two non-nationals to help them to bolster their sailing talent on board as well as establishing working groups made up of representatives of all teams to come together on racing formats and TV media broadcast initiatives.
“We feel sympathy today for the dedicated team members that have now lost their jobs as a result of this.”
In his role as America’s Cup Event Chief Executive, Dalton is currently working on the protocol for AC38 and is in discussions with several European cities about the potential of their hosting the event, likely to take place in 2027.
A venue is due to be confirmed by June 20 this year, with the protocol to be released before then as well.
America’s Cup has faced a series of challenges in recent weeks, including Team New Zealand parting ways with long-time helmsman Peter Burling and INEOS Britannia Chief Executive Sir Jim Ratcliffe withdrawing the team from AC38.
About Alinghi/Alinghi Red Bull Racing
Alinghi as a competitive sailing team was created in 1994 by Ernesto Bertarelli. In 2000, the team set itself the goal of winning the America’s Cup, which it did twice, in 2003 and 2007, meaning it was the first European team to win the historic prize.
The team has many other successes to its name, both from before and after it’s America’s Cup campaigns, including seven Bol d’Or victories, eight D35 trophies, four Extreme Sailing Series championships, two GC32 Racing Tour championships and a GC32 World champion title.
In 2022, Alinghi and Red Bull join forces to create a new team setting out to conquer the 37th America’s Cup: Alinghi Red Bull Racing.
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