Photo: Alinghi Red Bull Racing media

Ernesto Bertarelli’s team, Alinghi Red Bull Racing, is making a return to the America’s Cup scene in 2024 after a long break. The Swiss team, then just named Alinghi, won the America’s Cup in 2003 and then completed a successful defence in 2007.

Team Name: Alinghi Red Bull Racing
Yacht club: Société Nautique de Genève
Skipper: Hans Peter Steinacher (AUT)

Alinghi’s win in 2003 was famous for several reasons. It was the first time that a European team had won the America’s Cup and the first time a team had won the Cup on their first attempt.

However, they achieved this second point by employing many key members of the winning Team New Zealand side from the previous Cup, causing a significant amount of bad-blood between the teams and sailors.

Another serious falling out followed their 2007 win when a serious disagreement around the rules for the 2011 America’s Cup saw Alinghi taken to court by Larry Ellison and his BMW Oracle team.

The result of a protracted legal battle between the two teams was the 2010 America’s Cup, held between Alinghi and BMW Oracle Racing in a Deed of Gift match that saw the teams fight it out in huge multihulls.

BMW Oracle won the contest and Alinghi stepped away from America’s Cup racing. Their return is a welcome one and their Cup history alongside their partnership with Red Bull Racing should see them a solid challenge from the off.