Red Bull Italy SailGP Team takes fourth in Sydney
by Red Bull Italy SailGP Team 1 Mar 05:45 PST
Artemis Racing leads the pack - Day 1 KPMG Australia SailGP Sydney, Australia - February 28, 2026 © Travis Hayto/SailGP
Red Bull Italy SailGP Team put in their best performance of the season so far, finishing fourth at the Sydney Sail Grand Prix after narrowly missing out on the final.
Tricky, shifting winds on Sydney Harbour made for a tense weekend of racing. Driver Phil Robertson and his crew delivered a string of consistent performances, and it all came down to the final fleet race. In the 11-strong fleet, the Italians went head-to-head with Team USA - who went on to win the event - to cross the line in second place. But it wasn't quite enough to make the three-boat final, with just a single point separating the two teams.
"We finish the event in fourth place, so it was definitely a strong weekend for us," said Robertson. "We leave Sydney with a bit of a bitter taste, having missed the final by just one point, but we have plenty to reflect on and improve. We know where we stand in the fleet, and it's not where we want to be, so we're staying grounded and looking ahead to Rio."
The result sees Red Bull Italy SailGP Team finish ahead of home favourites the Flying Roos and climb to seventh in the overall standings. Strong finishes throughout - including two fourths and that crucial second place in the final fleet race - showed the team can mix it with the best.
On Friday, the crew met up with local hero Dominic Di Tommaso. The Australian Red Bull athlete and parkour world champion dropped by to show off his skills and swap stories on what it takes to perform at the highest level.
A couple of costly results aside, the team leaves Australia with momentum. The decision-making and teamwork that earned them their strongest finish of the season bodes well for what lies ahead.
"Great progress from the team in really challenging conditions, and good to see all the hard work between events showing on the water," said team CEO Jimmy Spithill. "Bring on Rio!"
Next up, the championship heads to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the final Southern Hemisphere event of the season, 11-12 April 2026.