America's Cup: Prada and Pirelli to be co-sponsors for Luna Rossa

Emirates Team New Zealand's cyclors jump into their seats after the finish - Race 1, Round Robin 2, Day 4 - 35th America's Cup - Bermuda May 30, 2017 © Richard Gladwell

Pirelli has signed an agreement with Luna Rossa Challenge for the constitution of a partnership aimed at the development of a multi-year project which will lead to Luna Rossa’s participation in the next edition of the America’s Cup, set for New Zealand in 2021.

The tyre manufacturer is closely associated with F1 and was late addition to Emirates Team New Zealand's family of sponsors for the successful 35th America's Cup in Bermuda, with the inference being that the involvement of the world's fifth largest tyre manufacturer came as a result of a nudge and wink from Luna Rossa.

Pirelli and Prada will be co-titled sponsors of the vessel and will detail their plans at a soon to be organized event.

The project will entail, over the 4-year period 2018-2021, a series of regattas, events and activities with the two brands as protagonists. In 2019 the first two regattas of the America’s Cup World Series will take place in the Mediterranean; in 2020 another three World Series regattas will be held in Europe, the United States of America and Asia; from January 2021, always in Auckland, there will be the Prada Cup, Challenger selection regattas, followed by the 36th edition of the America’s Cup Presented by Prada, scheduled for March 2021.

This will be Luna Rossa’s fifth tilt at the Trophy and in this edition it will be the Challenger of Record, that is, the first challenger of the last edition’s winning team, Emirates Team New Zealand.

Pirelli will join with Prada to co-sponsor the Luna Rodda America's Cup Challenge - photo © Carlo Borlenghi

In a written media statement, Patrizio Bertelli, Chairman of Luna Rossa Challenge, said “Pirelli is the ideal partner for this new America’s Cup challenge. With over half a century’s experience at the highest levels of high technology world sports, it will be an important asset at the heart of our project. In this sense it is correct to speak of a real and true collaboration between the Team and Pirelli.”

“Pirelli – said Marco Tronchetti Provera, Executive Vice President and CEO of Pirelli – chose to be a part of this project because it represents both a sporting and technological challenge, able to bring Italy and the Pirelli brand to the attention of the entire world. The America’s Cup, as Formula 1 is to motorsport, is the most prestigious sailing competition, with a great history and tradition. It embodies values and is for a public of impassioned fans that perfectly match Pirelli’s, enabling the company to continue enriching its brand, reinforcing its positioning in high technology with clients around the world and its relationship with consumers through traditional channels and all the new digital platforms.”

More on the relationship is expected at the "America's Cup Overture" event to be held at Cowes, Isle of Wight at the end of August, which will formally launch the Challenger program for the 36th America's Cup.