It’s an unexpected conversion to say the least. As Ouest-France spotted, four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel announced the creation of a German sailing team on the SailGP championship, an international regatta circuit aboard state-of-the-art catamarans. Associated with Thomas Riedel, owner of the team, and Erik Heil, double bronze medalist in Olympic sailing, the former German pilot, retired since last year, will play an active role in the management and performance of the crew.
Germany will be the latest nation to join the International Sailing Championship, the fourth season of which begins in Chicago on June 16-17. Facing them, the nine teams involved include some of the best sailors in the world, such as the Briton Ben Ainslie, quadruple gold medalist at the Olympic Games, the New Zealander Peter Burling, the youngest coxswain to win the America’s Cup, or Tom Slingsby, at the head of the Australian team, which won the first three editions of SailGP. France, led by Quentin Delapierre, finished 4th overall in the 3rd season.
“Sebastian also knows how to win. He is therefore not only a co-owner of Germany SailGP Team, but a full partner who can help us succeed in everything we do,” said Thomas Riedel.
“I see a lot of potential as SailGP enters its fourth season and for the first time with a German team,” said Sebastian Vettel. “The parallels between navigators and Formula 1 have been around for a long time. The boats are fascinating and the speeds on the water are incredibly high. The races are exciting and I’m happy to get closer to it with a group of young, motivated riders,” he added.
Alongside Erik Heil, German-Brazilian double Olympic champion in Rio and Tokyo Kahena Kunze was also announced as the team’s strategist. The full crew will be announced next month.
