A demanding weekend saw Red Bull Italy SailGP Team face some of the toughest conditions of the season as Auckland lived up to its reputation as the windiest city in the world during the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix, the second event of Season 6.
Auckland, 15 February 2026 – Storms cancelled Friday’s practice racing, leaving teams with no preparation time before competition began.
In Race 3 of the weekend, Red Bull Italy SailGP Team won the start and led the 13-boat fleet at the first mark, showing strong early pace in demanding conditions. With stronger winds continuing into Sunday, racing remained challenging as the Italian team gained valuable experience while Australia went on to win the event ahead of Britain and Spain.
A penalty for contact with a course mark in Race 1 dropped the team to the bottom of the event standings. After finishing 7th in Perth, Red Bull Italy now sits 10th on the season leaderboard as the focus remains on continued progress heading into the next event.
Ahead of racing, the crew met New Zealand triathlon world champion Hayden Wilde, sharing experiences and insights on performing under pressure and pushing limits at the highest level of endurance sport, bringing added energy to the weekend before racing got underway.
QUOTES
Phil Robertson, Driver: “We had a little spicy moment pre-race and I don’t know how we didn’t tip over. It’s really difficult to make improvements when you’re in survival mode every single race. There’s a lot to work on, but we took some nice steps forward. We know we can be better and we’re looking forward to Sydney.”
Jimmy Spithill, CEO: “Auckland produced the hardest, toughest conditions I have ever witnessed in SailGP racing. The more experienced teams clearly showed the value of having more hours in the boat. We learned some harsh lessons, but we know we are in this for the long haul. We made a lot of progress and are looking forward to Sydney!”
Red Bull Italy SailGP Team heads to Sydney Harbour in two weeks for the third event of the 2026 season, the Sydney Sail Grand Prix (28 February – 1 March).
Red Bull Italy SailGP Team
Red Bull Italy SailGP Team represents a new generation of high-performance sailing: fast, fearless, and forward-looking. Making its debut in the 2024-25 SailGP season, the team aims to push boundaries, inspire, and redefine the sport by uniting Italy’s finest sailing talent with international expertise. At the helm is Phil Roberson, SailGP Champion and one of the sport’s most dynamic athletes. Alongside him, sailing legend Jimmy Spithill leads as CEO and co-owner, bringing unmatched experience and vision. The ownership group, led by Assia Grazioli Venier and Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo, combines entrepreneurial innovation and global perspective in a bold new chapter for Italian sailing.
SailGP
SailGP is widely regarded as the most thrilling racing on water, redefining the boundaries of modern sailing. The Rolex SailGP Championship is a global annual league that visits iconic cities around the world. Thirteen national teams – featuring some of the best athletes in the sport – compete on identical 50-foot foiling catamarans capable of exceeding 100 km/h and literally sailing faster than the wind.
SailGP combines sport and entertainment through its “stadium racing” format, with courses set close to shore to deliver a unique, high-adrenaline experience just meters from the action.
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Contact: Fabian Ress
fabian.ress@3mpg.ch / +49 173 248 8404
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