Growth Under Pressure in Auckland for the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team
by Red Bull Italy SailGP Team 15 Feb 06:42 UTC
14-15 February 2026
Black Foils SailGP Team helmed by Peter Burling and DS Automobiles SailGP Team France helmed by Quentin Delapierre collide during racing on Race Day 1 of the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix in Auckland, New Zealand © Simon Bruty for SailGP
Storms cancelled Friday's practice racing, leaving teams with no preparation time before competition began.
In Race 3 of the weekend, Red Bull Italy SailGP Team won the start and led the 13-boat fleet at the first mark, showing strong early pace in demanding conditions. With stronger winds continuing into Sunday, racing remained challenging as the Italian team gained valuable experience while Australia went on to win the event ahead of Britain and Spain.
A penalty for contact with a course mark in Race 1 dropped the team to the bottom of the event standings. After finishing 7th in Perth, Red Bull Italy now sits 10th on the season leaderboard as the focus remains on continued progress heading into the next event.
Ahead of racing, the crew met New Zealand triathlon world champion Hayden Wilde, sharing experiences and insights on performing under pressure and pushing limits at the highest level of endurance sport, bringing added energy to the weekend before racing got under way.
Phil Robertson, Driver: "We had a little spicy moment pre-race and I don't know how we didn't tip over. It's really difficult to make improvements when you're in survival mode every single race. There's a lot to work on, but we took some nice steps forward. We know we can be better and we're looking forward to Sydney."
Jimmy Spithill, CEO: "Auckland produced the hardest, toughest conditions I have ever witnessed in SailGP racing. The more experienced teams clearly showed the value of having more hours in the boat. We learned some harsh lessons, but we know we are in this for the long haul. We made a lot of progress and are looking forward to Sydney!"
Red Bull Italy SailGP Team heads to Sydney Harbour in two weeks for the third event of the 2026 season, the Sydney Sail Grand Prix (28 February - 1 March).