Red Bull Italy SailGP Team gets their first taste of action in Dubai
by MPG 24 Nov 2024 23:14 PST
23-24 November 2024
Ruggero Tita, driver of Red Bull Italy SailGP Team and Giulia Fava, strategist of Red Bull Italy SailGP Team in action during a practice session ahead of the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas in Dubai, UAE © Ricardo Pinto for SailGP
As the 2025 Season of SailGP kicked off this weekend, Red Bull Italy SailGP Team made their race debut in Dubai. Led by CEO & Founder Jimmy Spithill, the new team has now wrapped up a week of training and racing, taking their first steps on what is sure to be a steep learning curve in this elite series.
Just a week ago, the Italian SailGP entry was still shrouded in mystery. By Thursday, the rumors burst into reality as the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team was officially unveiled at their Dubai base. Now, a few days later, the team has made their race debut, sailing together competitively for the first time at the opening event of the SailGP 2025 Season, the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix. Along with fellow newcomers Mubadala Brazil, the race weekend brought the fresh challenge of a new race format, new boat, and new team dynamics.
Going head-to-head with ten world-class teams, how did the newly-assembled squad get on? For their very first SailGP performance, driver Ruggero Tita showed why he's an Olympic gold medalist, timing their start to perfection and hitting the line just 20cm behind the gun. With Day 1 marked by tricky foiling conditions, light, patchy winds saw rankings go up and down from race to race. Finding their groove in Race 3, Red Bull Italy held their own against the fleet's top performers before late wind shifts tipped the scales against them. Day 2 brought stronger winds and faster racing, but after five races the Italians fell short of the final. In the end, New Zealand triumphed over Emirates GBR and the US team to win the event.
Team strategist Giulia Fava, recent winner of the first Women's America's Cup, is no stranger to setbacks. "It was a tough first event here in Dubai," she admitted. "Especially because of the gas on the boats in these light conditions. If you're not in the front from the start, it's very hard to recover. But we know it's a long journey, and we have to trust the process. We can already see we're making improvements from race to race."
For CEO & Founder Jimmy Spithill, an America's Cup legend and seasoned SailGP driver, the event was all about laying the foundations. "As we've seen with SailGP, you've really got to put in time with the class. It's only the third day on the water for a brand-new boat that's not there 100% technically, so we've got quite a few things to work on to get our boat to its maximum potential. This is a good first step for the team, and we've got plenty to take away now as we head to New Zealand."
With one down, 13 events remain in the 2025 Season. The Red Bull Italy SailGP Team now has a clear view of the challenge ahead, and the time to tackle it head-on, with four more days of training in Dubai. "Tomorrow we'll recharge the batteries, then be ready to take on the next four days with a lot of passion," said driver Ruggero Tita, who showed no signs of discouragement. "In New Zealand, we'll be training alongside six other boats, which will make it harder but also much more valuable. Staying between the boats and learning to do the starts will be crucial."
In this one-design competition, data is everything. Red Bull Italy will also be using the break between events to dig deep into the shared analytics across the fleet. Under the guidance of Jimmy Spithill and championship-winning coach Philippe Presti, Italian fans can expect to see a considerable jump in performance for their next showdown.
Up next on the calendar: Auckland, January 18-19, where the introduction of revolutionary T-foils promises a speed boost and an adjustment for every team. This change may level the playing field, but one thing is clear - this is just the beginning for Red Bull Italy SailGP Team.
Ruggero Tita, Driver: "We had a tough time, but everyone on the team was really proactive in trying to learn as much as we could. Kyle [Langford] was fantastic to have on board. He never gave up, which was great. Even during the racing, we were all trying to give our best. The results didn't come, but of course, we are now even more hungry to improve—to become better sailors and a better team together."