Motorsport to marine – the America’s Cup sails into view

The MIA’s ‘Motorsport to Marine’ programme has turned its attention to the America’s Cup.

The programme explores how the hi-tech world of racing cars can benefit their counterparts on water and there can be no greater synergy than with the sleek hulls of the America’s Cup – the F1 of yacht racing and the basis of the ultimate global challenge.

The success of America’s Cup machinery is as much about aerodynamics as hydrodynamics, so it is small wonder that key motorsport personnel have long since been involved in the sport – former F1 (Prost, Arrows, Stewart GP etc) designer Alan Jenkins has had a hand in the all conquering Swiss entry ‘Alinghi’, while former Williams/McLaren designer Adrian Newey’s name has also been linked to the sport.

Sir Keith Mills, the man behind the new British America’s Cup Challenger ‘Team Origin’, has been quick to spot the potential of involving the world of motorsport and is among those keen to develop a relationship with the MIA and its members.

Said the MIA’s CEO Chris Aylett, “There is no telling what could result from combining the knowledge of these two advanced engineering sectors and it is for this reason that a group of MIA members will be travelling to Valencia in May to view the current America’s Cup contenders first-hand.

“At a time when some motorsport engineering talents are being under utilised, it makes eminent good sense to access a sector that will spend $100 million on advanced technology in the next four years alone.”