Luna Rossa’s Journey Continues – Patrizio Bertelli’s Assurance Regarding the Team’s Future
by Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli 6 Oct 06:26 PDT
Patrizio Bertelli, Marco Tronchetti Provera, and Max Sirena of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli after the Louis Vuitton Cup Final © Luca Butto
The day following Luna Rossa’s exit from the Challenger Selection Finals, Patrizio Bertelli, Chairman of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, convened with several media representatives to discuss the current state and future plans of the team. Joining Bertelli were Marco Tronchetti Provera, Executive Vice President of Pirelli and co-title sponsor of the team, along with Max Sirena, Skipper and Team Director.
Bertelli affirmed that Luna Rossa will persist in its America’s Cup endeavor led by Max Sirena, reiterating his confidence in the team he established in 1997. He underscored Luna Rossa’s considerable sports achievements, elevating Italy “from the fringes to the center of international sailing,” and its contribution to developing new talent.
“In the past three years under Max Sirena’s guidance, we have reconstructed a robust team reminiscent of our beginnings in 2000,” Bertelli stated, “a team characterized by strong belonging, passion, advanced technology, and numerous young talents—not only sailors but also technical specialists. We have a solid groundwork for launching our next challenge.”
Reflecting on the outcomes of the Challenger Finals, Bertelli remarked: “The undeniable fact is that the boat committing fewer errors advances. There will be an opportunity to analyze what transpired, but the problem was certainly not a slow vessel. Ours was remarkably fast; I believe it is the fastest boat I’ve ever had in all my competitions.”
“This is the nature of the America’s Cup; the competition level is incredibly high. We experienced a challenging two weeks and made mistakes. We are not in the final because we made more errors than our competitors.”
Regarding the future of the America’s Cup and foiling monohulls, Bertelli pointed out that it has evolved into a circuit with no historical precedents, vastly different from the Newport or Auckland editions. He stressed that boats like the AC40 represent “a significant innovation, drawing younger generations into the sport. We must recognize that sailing has transformed; comparing it to the past is futile as they are two wholly distinct worlds. In this regard, I don’t believe there is a turning back.”
Concerning continuity,” he continued, “on Wednesday morning, the AC75 will be on the water with the youth crew, supported by the team that has raced thus far, providing them the opportunity to get aboard, while reinforcing the stability and ongoing nature of the project we initiated years ago.”
Concerning future partnerships, Marco Tronchetti Provera stated: “This is merely one defeat in a story filled with success. We will be there. We will assess the specifics and the structure, but we will support Patrizio Bertelli and Luna Rossa.”
