SailGP: Tennis superstar Roger Federer joins forces with Switzerland SailGP Team

Tennis superstar Roger Federer works with Switzerland SailGP Team © SailGP

One of Switzerland’s greatest sporting icons, Roger Federer, features in the newest episode of Racing on the Edge, SailGP’s official behind-the-scenes docuseries, produced in partnership with Rolex.

The latest instalment, which is available to watch starting Monday, provides a rare and emotional glimpse into the transformation of the Switzerland SailGP Team as they fight to rise from the bottom of the leaderboard.

The episode follows Swiss driver Sébastien Schneiter as he takes drastic action to turn around the team’s performance. After a disappointing run in the team’s early seasons – including last-place finishes and a difficult decision to step away from SailGP in Season 4– Schneiter returns to the league, determined to take charge while competing against the best in the world. In an unprecedented move, he replaces all but one of his crew and effectively starts from zero as the team enters the global racing championship’s 2025 Season.

As pressure builds after a difficult season opener, former team CEO Tanguy Cariou recognises external support is needed to help develop Schneiter’s confidence. In a pivotal moment in the episode, Schneiter is invited to Zurich for a surprise meeting with global sporting legend Roger Federer, arranged to help the driver confront the mental and emotional challenge of competing at the highest level.

When asked what advice he would give to Schneiter, Federer said: “I would probably tell Seb to embrace the pressure and to remind him that that’s always where you wanted to be. Now he’s a driver of his boat, he can make decisions – you are a decision maker which is a privilege – not everybody gets to make decisions in life or in your field, so try to turn it into a positive.”

Schneiter himself describes the moment as a turning point: “It was definitely a milestone for me to meet Roger Federer. Anyone in Switzerland dreams of meeting him, and I really want to take the most out of it that I can.”

The film cuts to a dramatic race weekend in San Francisco where Schneiter returns to the water with renewed confidence and leadership. Though the Swiss team ultimately missed out on the final, their performance marked a step change and the shift in energy was clear.

“You need those moments where all of a sudden you feel like you’re entering the top ten or you become top five in the world and you start truly believing that you can do it,” Federer reflects. “For me that happened probably in 2001 when I beat Sampras at Wimbledon, 2002 when I won Hamburg and I entered the top 10 for the first time. I knew I was on the right path but there were still doubts that I was going about my life and my game the right way.”

The Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix | Geneva will take place on September 20-21 and will serve as the 10th stop of the 2025 season. With SailGP making its debut in Switzerland this year, tickets are expected to sell out fast. Visit SailGP.com/switzerland for tickets and more information.

Racing on the Edge offers fans unprecedented access to the drama and emotion that define SailGP – the fastest and more competitive racing on the water. The docuseries captures the fierce nation-versus-nation rivalries, the personalities behind the teams and the extraordinary levels of precision and pressure required to succeed in the Rolex SailGP Championship.