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INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa
INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli are among the most influential European challengers of the modern America's Cup era. While the British team under Sir Ben Ainslie and chemical billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe pursues the long-awaited first Cup victory for Great Britain, Luna Rossa has embodied Italian Cup tradition for more than two decades with its characteristic red boats, Prada design and the passion of the Circolo della Vela Sicilia. Both teams compete on AC75 foiling monohulls, invest hundreds of millions and together with Emirates Team New Zealand form the technological elite triangle of professional sailing.
Two Nations, One Goal: The America's Cup
The America's Cup is not a classic fleet racing event, but a highly specialised match racing competition between a few elite teams. INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa regularly compete as Challengers – they must win the Louis Vuitton Cup (formerly Prada Cup) against other challengers to qualify for the final against the Defender. The overview article America's Cup Teams explains the basic structure of Defender and Challenger.
Common Characteristics of Both Teams
- Yacht club as organiser: Royal Yacht Squadron (Britannia) and Circolo della Vela Sicilia (Luna Rossa) respectively
- Long-term Cup strategy: Multi-year campaigns with boatyard, simulator and design teams
- Foiling expertise: Full sailing on the foils of the AC75 monohull
- Olympic talent: Recruitment from 470, Finn, Nacra 17 and other Olympic classes
- Premium sponsors: INEOS, Prada and Pirelli as global brand partners
INEOS Britannia: Great Britain's Cup Dream
INEOS Britannia is the current name of the British America's Cup team, which previously competed as Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR), Land Rover BAR and INEOS Team UK. Supported by the Royal Yacht Squadron – the oldest yacht club in the world – the team combines Sir Ben Ainslie's Olympic success record with the financial resources of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS Group.
History and Milestones
- 2013 (San Francisco): First serious British Cup campaign with BAR; learning phase on AC72 catamarans
- 2017 (Bermuda): Land Rover BAR with Ainslie as skipper; eliminated in qualification
- 2021 (Auckland): INEOS Team UK reaches the Louis Vuitton Cup final; defeat against Luna Rossa
- 2024 (Barcelona): INEOS Britannia wins the Louis Vuitton Cup; defeat in the match racing final against Emirates Team New Zealand
Organisation and Key Figures
The British team is structurally comparable to other Cup elite organisations: A CEO coordinates design, engineering and race crew. Sir Ben Ainslie remains the public face as skipper and co-founder; behind him dozens of engineers work on hull geometry, foil profiles and flight control software.
- Sir Ben Ainslie: Four-time Olympic gold medallist, long-standing skipper and team co-founder
- Sir Jim Ratcliffe: INEOS founder and main sponsor; secures multi-year budgets
- Giles Scott: Finn Olympic champion, tactician and central figure in the race crew
- Paul Campbell-James: Experienced tactician and America's Cup veteran
- David Tyler: Team CEO; responsible for operational and strategic leadership
Leadership structure INEOS Britannia: Royal Yacht Squadron → Team CEO → Design & Engineering → Boatyard → Race Crew. The race crew branches into skipper (Ainslie), tactician (Scott), trimmers, grinders and flight controller.
Technology and AC75 Concept
INEOS Britannia relies on the AC75 monohull with retractable foils – the same boat class that Emirates Team New Zealand defined from 2021 onwards. The team invests heavily in simulators, CFD analysis and materials research. Details on the boat class can be found under AC75 and Modern Foiling Technology; the technical foundation of Cup boats under America's Cup Boats.
Important: In 2024 INEOS Britannia reached the position of Challenger of Record for the first time – the direct challenger of the Defender in the match racing final. The long-awaited first British Cup victory therefore remains elusive.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Italy's Red Cup Legend
Luna Rossa – Italian for "red moon" – is the best-known Italian America's Cup team and has been a fixture in the Cup circuit since 2000. Supported by Prada and Pirelli and backed by the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, the team embodies Italian design, passionate fan culture and technical tenacity. The characteristically red boats are the team's visual trademark worldwide.
History and Milestones
- 2000 (Auckland): First Luna Rossa campaign; Louis Vuitton Cup semi-final
- 2007 (Valencia): Louis Vuitton Cup final; defeat against Emirates Team New Zealand
- 2013–2017: Paused campaign; return with foiling catamarans
- 2021 (Auckland): Prada Cup victory; defeat in the match final against ETNZ with Luna Rossa
- 2024 (Barcelona): Strong round robin phase; eliminated before the LV Cup final
Organisation and Key Figures
Luna Rossa is largely steered by Patrizio Bertelli (CEO of Prada) and the team around skipper Max Sirena. The organisation combines Italian sailing tradition with cutting-edge engineering – a model that also serves as a reference for the America's Cup budgets of other European teams.
- Patrizio Bertelli: Co-founder, Prada CEO and strategic mind behind every campaign
- Max Sirena: Skipper and team director; steered Luna Rossa to Prada Cup victory in 2021
- Francesco Bruni: Tactician and multiple America's Cup veteran
- Jimmy Spithill: Experienced skipper and tactician (in various Cup phases within the team)
- Pirelli: Co-title sponsor; provides technology know-how from the motorsport world
Technology and Boat Development
Luna Rossa is regarded as a technically demanding challenger with a strong focus on foil design and flight control. At the AC75 in Auckland 2021, the team fielded Luna Rossa, a boat that lost to Emirates Team New Zealand in the match racing final but clearly dominated the competition in the Prada Cup. Foiling technology and the evolution of Cup boats can be placed in historical context in the article History and Tradition.
The Rivalry: Britannia vs Luna Rossa
The direct competition between INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa reached its peak in the Louis Vuitton Cup 2021 in Auckland. There both teams met in the final – Luna Rossa won and advanced as Challenger of Record to the match racing final against Emirates Team New Zealand. INEOS Team UK had to return home as the losing finalist of the challenger series.
Tactical Differences in Direct Duels
- Starts and acceleration: Both teams rely on aggressive start tactics; small mistakes immediately cost positions at AC75 speeds
- Foil mode and flight control: Different foil configurations affect height, speed and manoeuvrability
- Crew coordination: Grinders and cyclors must synchronise hydraulic power precisely with tactician decisions
- Weather windows: Slight wind changes are exploited by both teams with different risk tolerance
Crew Roles and Physical Demands
Both teams field AC75 crews with eight athletes on board. Role distribution follows the modern Cup standard shaped by the cyclor revolution of Emirates Team New Zealand. More on the opponent and technological benchmark can be found in the article Emirates Team New Zealand.
Typical Roles on Board
- Skipper: Steers the boat, makes strategic decisions under pressure
- Tactician: Analyses wind, opponent and course; communicates closely with the skipper
- Flight controller: Controls foil and hull trim for optimal foiling
- Trimmer: Adjusts mainsail and headsail to the millimetre
- Grinder / Cyclors: Generate hydraulic power for sail and foil systems
AC75 crew requirements: Eight crew members on board, grinder output over 20 minutes, heart rate in racing over 180 bpm, race duration typically 20–25 minutes. Both teams invest equally in physical fitness at Cup level.
What Sailors Can Learn from Both Teams
INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa are not only spectacle for spectators, but also teachers for ambitious regatta sailors. The teams demonstrate how Olympic skill, long-term planning and technological openness work together.
Practical Lessons from Cup Practice
- Long-term thinking: Cup campaigns are planned over years – not over a single season
- Data-driven decisions: Tacticians and shore teams analyse every race systematically
- Specialisation: Every role on board requires years of training intensity
- Mental strength: Match racing finals are often decided by nerves and error tolerance
- Team culture: Success depends on trust between skipper, tactician and shore team
America's Cup Preparation for Ambitious Sailors
- Build Olympic or World Cup experience
- Complete match racing training
- Develop foiling competence
- Train physical fitness at Cup level
- Deepen tactics and rules knowledge
- Build a network in professional teams
- Mental competition preparation
- Long-term career planning over several years
Tip: Those aiming for the America's Cup should start early in foiling disciplines such as SailGP or Olympic classes. The article America's Cup and SailGP as a Goal describes typical career paths.
Outlook: The Next Cup Generation
Both teams are already preparing the next America's Cup campaign. INEOS Britannia wants to build on the momentum from the Louis Vuitton Cup victory in 2024 and finally achieve the first British trophy win. Luna Rossa is working on a technological response to the dominance of Emirates Team New Zealand and aims to return to the match racing final.
Cup campaigns can be delayed due to rule changes, venue changes or budget shifts. Teams must respond flexibly to new AC classes and Defender requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions about INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa
- Has INEOS Britannia won the America's Cup? No, not yet – despite Louis Vuitton Cup victory in 2024.
- Has Luna Rossa won the Cup? No, final defeat in 2021 against Emirates Team New Zealand.
- Who is the skipper of INEOS Britannia? Sir Ben Ainslie.
- Who leads Luna Rossa? Max Sirena as skipper and team director.
- Where did the last Cup edition take place? Barcelona 2024.