French team ends the 2025 season on the podium in Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix
by France SailGP Team 1 Dec 03:40 PST
29-30 November 2025
French team ends the 2025 season on the podium in Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix © SailGP
The French SailGP Team concluded the 2025 season last night with a solid performance in Abu Dhabi, the final event of the Rolex SailGP Championship. In windier conditions than on the first day, Les Bleus won one of the two races and finished third in the Sail Grand Prix, confirming their rise to prominence at the end of the season.
Thanks to this performance, France ends the year in the world's top five, a fine result given the exceptional level of competition in SailGP. The Great Britain team won the 2025 championship. Over the season as a whole, the French team recorded eight race wins, four finals, four podium finishes and one event victory, despite a difficult start to the year.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was also a highlight outside of the sporting arena, as the French team had the opportunity to welcome all of its partners, ALL Accor, L'Oréal Groupe, Leyton and IBKM, its charity partner. Eight young people supported by the foundation were able to go behind the scenes at SailGP, talk to the team and experience the intensity of an international event from the inside. It was a precious moment of sharing, in keeping with the team's values of openness and transmission.
A 2025 season marked by resilience
The start of the season was particularly chaotic for the French team, with the late delivery of the boat, the inability to participate in the first two Grand Prix events and very little training. In Sydney, the team even had to race its first heats as its very first time sailing on the refurbished F50.
Despite these unfavourable conditions, Les Bleus managed to raise their game throughout the season. Good results followed in Sydney, then in the United States and on to Portsmouth, where a spectacular wing break brought their promising momentum to a halt. The next three European events proved more difficult, due to a lack of efficiency in light winds and insufficiently controlled starts.
A new organisation for greater efficiency
Faced with these difficulties, the team made a significant strategic shift.
The arrival of Lucas Delcourt, a performance expert in data structuring technical fundamentals, and Philippe Mourniac's enhanced role as head coach, have enabled the team to operate even more efficiently.
This new dynamic has brought greater technical clarity, a more precise common language and an increased ability to plan strategically.
Highlights: podium finishes in the United States, the Portsmouth drama and victory in Sassnitz
The San Francisco and New York Sail Grand Prix marked the rise of the French team. Two solid podium finishes, despite two somewhat frustrating finals.
Then, in Portsmouth, the team was shaken by a spectacular accident when the large wing fell on the boat, narrowly avoiding serious injury to Manon. The wing was replaced within 24 hours, a rare operational feat thanks to the dedication of the shore team.
The victory in Sassnitz will remain one of the highlights of the season. The day before the race, a spectacular breakage in strong winds had thrown the driver slightly off the boat. However, the very next day, the team delivered one of its finest finals: a perfect start, total control of the fleet and a brilliant victory, symbolising remarkable resilience.
The season was also marked by the arrival of new partners such as L'Oréal Groupe and Leyton, and investors such as Kylian Mbappé, Ares Management and Sportsology among the team's supporters.
These developments also strengthen the team's momentum and send a very positive signal for the 2026 season, which will be approached with greater resources and ambition.
Quentin Delapierre, driver SailGP FRA said: "We're ending on a high note to kick off next season! We came here to Abu Dhabi with a big ambition: to reach the final. We knew that Grand Prix races in the Middle East are often held in light winds, which isn't necessarily our strong point. We pushed a lot of new processes to be more consistent and stay on the foils. We did a really good job here and finished on the podium. It's our first podium in a light-wind Grand Prix, so it's very positive. We're ending on a high note to kick off next season."
Stephan Kandler, Team CEO: 'A team that fought from the first day to the last'
"The 2025 season has been one of the most intense in our history. The team fought from the first day to the last, despite difficult logistics and an exceptionally strong field. Finishing in the world's top five and climbing onto the podium today in Abu Dhabi is a testament to the talent, resilience and professionalism of the group. I would like to warmly thank our partners, who have been instrumental in our progress. We are approaching 2026 with ambition and unwavering determination."
Looking ahead to 2026: a new cycle and a first event in Australia
The 2026 season will begin in January, with the first event in Perth, Australia, on 17 and 18 January.
The French team will then enter a new sporting cycle, accompanied by new developments and changes in the team. Several announcements will be made shortly.
Les Bleus are approaching this new challenge with confidence, ambition and a clear desire to transform the progress made in 2025 into even stronger results.