BMW & ORACLE Racing renew America’s Cup deal

by Nicole Stempinsky on 17 Jul 2008
BMW and ORACLE Racing said today that they were very pleased to announce the renewal of their partnership in BMW ORACLE Racing, as they prepare to compete for the next America’s Cup.

Speaking at a press conference at BMW Welt, which adjoins the firm’s headquarters in Munich, Russell Coutts, the team’s CEO and skipper, said they were delighted to be renewing a strong partnership that is now entering its seventh year. Both Coutts and Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management BMW Group, Sales & Marketing, said they looked forward to seeing an exciting event with the technologically demanding multihull yachts to be used in the 33rd America’s Cup.

'We are proud to continue this partnership with BMW,' Coutts said. 'Trying to win the America’s Cup is about combining the world's top design and engineering excellence with a passion to succeed. The Cup is a marriage of technology and sportsmanship. And, as BMW is also showing in Formula One racing, this is something it understands extremely well.' Coutts added: 'We greatly value BMW’s team commitment, and will continue to support the values that BMW and ORACLE represent in aiming to compete at our best in the special challenge the next Cup is shaping up to be.'

Ian Robertson said: 'The BMW brand has benefited hugely from the commitment to the America’s Cup and the BMW ORACLE Racing Team. We are looking forward to continuing this successful partnership that we have forged with the BMW ORACLE Racing Team. On that basis, we want the current partnership to add even more value to the fascination of yachting overall, and the America’s Cup in particular.'

With its unique technological competence, BMW has set new standards in the area of intelligent lightweight design and has brought this expertise to the Formula One of sailing - the America’s Cup. BMW aeronautical engineers Christoph Erbelding and Thomas Hahn have remained with the BMW ORACLE Racing team since the 32nd campaign and bring their specialist expertise to the design team, providing unique expertise in finite element analysis, which is a key tool for fulfilling EfficientDynamics requirements in the automotive industry.

Erbelding works with the rig team in Valencia and Rhode Island, Hahn belongs to the hull structures team based at the boat-building site in Anacortes. Both provide an integral contribution toward ensuring the boat is as stiff and light as possible and delivers maximum performance.

Coutts said: 'In contributing to our campaign, BMW provides superb engineering expertise and also comes in and works as part of our team. This way we can merge cutting edge sailing technology with BMW’s proven engineering expertise.'

Robertson added: 'Building on BMW’s technology transfer, we have been able to position ourselves as a strong, long-term partner in the team. When it comes to 'yacht building', BMW engineers have set new standards in the area of intelligent lightweight design. Technical expertise derived from our EfficientDynamics programs – less consumption, more driving pleasure – will provide valuable know-how, which we will bring to the BMW ORACLE Racing Team. This distinguishes us from competitors. We will continue to pursue this strategy in the future.'

Coutts closed the event by saying the team was committed to seeing both a good competition and the Cup move forward. 'These boats are going to be like nothing any of us have raced before. But whatever the outcome of this match, we also want to see the Cup move on successfully once this upcoming Deed of Gift match has been decided to a conventional event that is again run by mutual consent and includes all teams. '

BMW Sport Commitments.

Motor sport, Golfsport and Yachtsport reflect the BMW brand values. For decades BMW has been involved in selected sports that reflect the brand’s image. Motor sport, golf and sailing are widely regarded as exclusive, dynamic and cultured sports, and are also renowned for technological perfection and precision. This also applies to the range of BMW models.

Together with Oracle Racing, BMW entered the international sailing stage in 2002, and took up the challenge of the America’s Cup – the most traditional and technologically demanding sailing competition in the world.

Based on the model of the BMW Golfcup International, the world’s largest tournament series for amateur golfers, BMW has also established a regatta series for ambitious amateur yachtsmen: 'BMW Sailing Cup'. At the World Final in April 2008, in Dubai, the team from Spain defeated crews from a further eight countries (Denmark, Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Malta, New Zealand, and the United Arab Emirates). In total, 1800 ambitious hobby sailors took part in the international regatta series. The World Final for the 2008 season will be held in Italy in April 2009.

BMW is also premium partner and presenter of several key international sailing events around the world, such as 'Kiel Week', one of the largest and most prestigious regattas on the international sailing calendar. It is also title sponsor of the 'BMW Round Ireland Yacht Race', a challenging, non-stop regatta around Ireland, which belongs to a series of offshore races, such as Sydney to Hobart, The Fastnet, and Newport to Bermuda, and the title sponsor of the 'BMW Auckland Regatta Week', at which ambitious amateurs compete against each other in New Zealand, one of the world’s leading sailing nations. Furthermore BMW is 'Official Car' of the 'RC 44 Circuit' where America’s Cup greats like Russell Coutts, Dean Barker and James Spithill are competing.

BMW ORACLE Racing.

BMW ORACLE Racing is the Challenger of Record for the 33rd America's Cup, representing the USA's Golden Gate Yacht Club of San Francisco. The team is preparing for a one-on-one match in multihulls against Swiss Defender, Team Alinghi. A New York court is expected to soon confirm the date for the two-out-of-three match for which the defender is to confirm the venue. BMW ORACLE Racing is based in Valencia, Spain. The team’s multihull race yacht for the 33rd America’s Cup is under construction in Anacortes, WA, USA.