SailGP upgrades F50 fleet ahead of New York event
by SailGP 12 May 2025 15:31 BST
SailGP Team Australia#s new wing is worked on at SailGP Technologies in Southampton, UK © Jason Ludlow for SailGP
Following a full inspection and review, SailGP can confirm a series of upgrades are now under way to all 12 wingsails in the championship's fleet of high-speed F50 catamarans.
Ahead of the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix (June 7-8, 2025), each boat will receive an upgraded 'main element 1' - the area of the wingsail that bears the most load in racing conditions - with further upgrades scheduled throughout the season.
The news follows confirmation of a bonding issue in some shear webs across the F50 fleet, which are being replaced alongside the upgrades. Works will ensure all 12 boats are not only in top shape for New York, but perfectly matched too - a critical part of SailGP's commitment to even, one-design racing.
Changes will bolster the strength of wingsail elements, with teams working across multiple facilities to remove and upgrade affected parts, reinstall electronics and systems, and rebrand each wing. On-site, each SailGP team will complete a full sea trial in its own F50 in addition to extensive checks conducted by SailGP's team of designers and engineers.
SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said, "These new components for the wingsails feature an Aluminum Nomex core and increased laminate, which means the new shear webs will be approximately twice as strong."
Coutts continued, "This is a major refit, with multiple teams working around the clock on extraction, production, design, testing, and reinstallation, split between the American Magic facility in Pensacola, Florida, and at SailGP Technologies in the U.K. It's a huge team effort, but our fans can expect all twelve teams back on the race course when racing kicks off in New York."
SailGP made the decision to cancel last month's Enel Rio Sail Grand Prix after identifying a potential defect in select wingsails across the F50 fleet - now confirmed. The issue was discovered following testing and analysis of the Australia SailGP Team's wingsail collapse in March in San Francisco. At the time, Coutts called the decision to cancel the inaugural Rio Sail Grand Prix a "necessary action" to facilitate required repairs.
SailGP is on course to resume competition for the 2025 Season at the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix, June 7-8, 2025. The event marks the global racing championship's third visit to New York and will be the final stop on the U.S. leg of the season before the championship moves to Europe in July.