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Context

Context

The America's Cup is the oldest international trophy in world sport and represents the pinnacle of yachting. Through INEOS Sport, INEOS Britannia partnered with Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team's Applied Science division to create a team capable of competing in the Cup. More than 100 designers and engineers have been based at the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 base in Brackley, Northamptonshire helping to develop the race boat.

Activation Overview

From Brackley to Barcelona, from the racetrack to the open water. Lewis, George, and Toto took flight in the run up to the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix when they visited the home of the INEOS Britannia sailing team in Barcelona in the run up to the 37th America’s Cup.

Led by skipper Sir Ben Ainslie and INEOS owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the tour of the facilities included a behind the scenes look of the team’s simulator and an outing on Britannia, the boat that would be raced in the competition later that year.

The visit highlighted the collaboration between the INEOS Britannia sailing team and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, emphasizing the technical crossover between F1 and America's Cup yacht racing.

Objectives

  • Experience Sharing: Allow Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, and Toto Wolff to experience the AC75 race boat first-hand, emphasizing the parallels between F1 and America's Cup sailing.

  • Collaboration and Synergy: Showcase the collaborative engineering efforts between INEOS Britannia and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Applied Science division in designing and developing the race boat.

  • Promotion of Innovation: Highlight the cutting-edge technological innovation in both sailing and F1 as sports that push the limits of performance and design.

  • Team Engagement: Strengthen support and morale for the INEOS Britannia project through the presence and involvement of prominent figures from the F1 community.

  • Exclusive Content: Provide fans with behind-the-scenes access and exclusive content focused on the intersection of Formula 1 and America's Cup sailing, building excitement for the event.

Outcome and Results

  • Increased Awareness: Greater visibility for the America's Cup 2024, the INEOS Britannia project and its collaboration with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One team, capturing the interest of F1 and sailing audiences alike.

  • Enhanced Brand Synergy: Strengthened perception of Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS as an innovator across multiple elite sports, showcasing their influence beyond F1.

  • Fan Engagement: Heightened fan interest through exclusive content and storytelling that links F1 with America's Cup sailing, driving engagement across both fan bases.

  • Team Motivation: Boosted morale within the INEOS Britannia project as a result of F1 figures’ involvement, fostering a strong sense of unity and competitive spirit across both Teams.

Team Social Stats

  • 15.9M
    Impressions
  • 3.4M
    Video Views
  • 1.2M
    Engagements
  • 7.5%
    Engagement Rate

Performance People Podcast

Performance People Podcast

After the activity, Toto, George and Lewis all featured on the Performance People podcast. The three videos totalled almost 100k views on YouTube.

George Russell

George Russell

"What an incredible experience! To get the opportunity to sail with Sir Ben and get a true sense of the speed and manoeuvrability of the INEOS Britannia AC75 Race Boat was amazing. It felt like we were floating through the air; it definitely got the blood pumping!"
Listen to George’s Episode of the Performance People Podcast

Toto Wolff

Toto Wolff

"Today has been an amazing experience. We've got our headquarters at Brackley where a lot of the INEOS Britannia design work takes place, but it has been brilliant to see the base here in Barcelona. This is where the action will take place later this year and the facilities the team has are excellent."
Listen to Toto's Episode of the Performance People Podcast

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton

"It has been so exciting seeing the work of INEOS Britannia at the factory in Brackley over the past few years. To come here to Barcelona and see it all coming together, including the race boat for the first time, was so impressive. The technology involved is incredible and my mind is absolutely blown!"
Listen to Lewis' Episode of the Performance People Podcast

Sir Ben Ainslie

Sir Ben Ainslie

"It was a privilege for all of us at INEOS Britannia to show Toto, Lewis, and George around our base here in Barcelona. They have been supporters of the project throughout, and it was therefore very fitting for us to give them a closer look at our race boat for the first time. It was great to get the guys out on the water today too; they know their way around a car but made sailing our AC75 look a touch too easy for my liking."
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