LAND ROVER COMMITS TO SIR BEN AINSLIE’S QUEST TO WIN AMERICA’S CUP FOR GREAT BRITAIN

8 June 2017

Land Rover extends commitment to Britain’s America’s Cup team for the 36th America’s Cup

  • New deal for Land Rover to continue as Title and Exclusive Innovation Partner of Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR)
  • Land Rover BAR’s challenge for the 35th America’s Cup ended in play‑offs against Emirates Team New Zealand

Bermuda, 8 June 2017: Land Rover will extend its support of Britain’s America’s Cup sailing team by signing a new deal to continue as Title and Exclusive Innovation Partner of Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) for the 36th America’s Cup.

The announcement is a boost for the team, who  bowed out of the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda after a courageous battle with Emirates Team New Zealand in the play‑off stages. Land Rover BAR’s exit ends a successful inaugural campaign for one of the newest challenger in the competition. They finished top of the America’s Cup World Series and came third in the qualifiers.

Since the team’s inception two years ago, Land Rover has committed technology and engineering resources and expertise to the design and development of the R1 race boat skippered by Sir Ben Ainslie in Bermuda. Land Rover engineers provide support in areas including aerodynamics, machine learning and human machine interface (HMI) control systems – a unique collaboration between the automotive and marine industries.

The renewal of the Land Rover partnership will not only aim to build on the success of the first two years but importantly support the long‑term mission to bring the oldest international sporting trophy back to Britain for the first time since 1851.

While our campaign in this year’s America’s Cup has come to an end, we are more determined than ever to bring the Cup home. Knowing we will have the support of a partner like Land Rover means a lot to the team. Their engineering knowledge and expertise has been invaluable in the design process and I’m excited about what we can achieve together in the future. We will waste no time in planning our challenge for the 36th America’s Cup and we’re grateful for Land Rover’s continued partnership.

Sir Ben Ainslie
Skipper and Land Rover BAR Team Principal
LAND ROVER, TITLE AND EXCLUSIVE INNOVATION PARTNER
LAND ROVER, TITLE AND EXCLUSIVE INNOVATION PARTNER
LAND ROVER, TITLE AND EXCLUSIVE INNOVATION PARTNER
LAND ROVER, TITLE AND EXCLUSIVE INNOVATION PARTNER
LAND ROVER, TITLE AND EXCLUSIVE INNOVATION PARTNER
LAND ROVER, TITLE AND EXCLUSIVE INNOVATION PARTNER

The Land Rover BAR team has accomplished so much and we are immensely proud of the partnership that has been forged. It has been an incredible success for us both in terms of engineering collaboration and the launch of our new Discovery which is why we are delighted to announce our continued support with as Title and Exclusive Innovation partner for the 36th America’s Cup.

It would have been fantastic to have progressed further, but you cannot underestimate how significant Land Rover BAR's achievement has been. To win the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series outright as a rookie team and to successfully launch the Land Rover BAR Academy, also competing here in Bermuda, are real highlights for Land Rover.

The America's Cup is the toughest competition in world sailing – there is good reason why Britain has still never won the Auld Mug in 166 years. But Ben and the team will be back fighting harder than ever to win for Britain and we look forward to joining them on this exciting journey.

We wish Oracle Team USA and their anointed challenger the very best of luck for what I am sure will be a thrilling finale.

Mark Cameron
Land Rover Experiential Marketing Director
LAND ROVER, TITLE AND EXCLUSIVE INNOVATION PARTNER

Further information

For further information log onto bar.landrover.com or contact:

Lydia Haley

Senior Press Officer

+44 24 7656 4147 / +44 7730 923507

lhaley1@jaguarlandrover.com

Notes to Editors

Editors Notes:

Land Rover

Since 1948 Land Rover has been manufacturing authentic 4x4s that represent true 'breadth of capability' across the model range. Defender, Discovery, Discovery Sport, Range Rover Velar, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover and Range Rover Evoque each define the world's SUV sectors, with 80 per cent of this model range exported to over 100 countries.

 

About Land Rover BAR

Sarah Alexander, Land Rover BAR Press Officer

Sarah.alexander@landroverbar.com t. +1 (441) 595‑0214 / +44 1489 587 838

Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) was launched on 10 June 10 2014 in the presence of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge. The team was conceived by four‑times Olympic gold medalist and 34th America's Cup winner Sir Ben Ainslie with the long‑term aim of challenging for Britain and bringing the America's Cup back home to where it all began in 1851. Sir Ben has developed and will lead a British entry capable of winning the prestigious trophy, something Britain has so far never managed to achieve.

Land Rover BAR is a commercial sporting team, with a number of individual private investors alongside corporate partners. The team is made up of some of the best British and international sailors, designers, builders and racing support.

Sports teams represent key role models in society. This privileged position is not taken for granted at Land Rover BAR. The team believe our influence should extend far beyond the race course, and have put sustainability at the heart of operations since launching the team with Exclusive Sustainability Partner 11th Hour Racing in 2014.

The team have built a new headquarters in the centre of Portsmouth, the 74,000 sq ft building houses all the team's activities, and will welcome the public into its Tech Deck education centre.

The 1851 Trust is the team's official charity, and HRH The Duchess of Cambridge is its Royal Patron.

LandRoverBAR.com #BringTheCupHome