Land Rover Set to Compete in 'F1 on Water'

A Land Rover watercraft will try to make America’s Cup history in Bermuda.

Led by five-time Olympian Sir Ben Ainslie, Land Rover hopes to become the first British winner of the oldest trophy in international sport. America’s Cup sailing is often called “F1 on water,” and is faster, more competitive, and more technically advanced than ever before. The boats are capable of reaching speeds of 60 mph, flying above the surface while pushing the boundaries of aerodynamics, control systems, data analysis, and performance — all in the pursuit of optimum speed and efficiency.

The Land Rover BAR is the result of a two-year collaboration between the team and Land Rover, its Exclusive Innovation Partner. The British automaker contributed with its technological innovation and engineering expertise, ranging from aerodynamic testing and CFD modeling of the boat’s main power source, the wing, to data analysis through machine learning and the Human Machine Interface technologies used in the development of Ben Ainslie’s steering wheel and e-ink display screens.

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Look for the Land Rover BAR to set sail in the first qualifier on May 26. You can check out a VR 360 film below. AutoGuide.com will also be attending the race in Bermuda, so stay tuned.

“As pioneers in the car industry, we couldn’t think of a better opportunity than to support the British America’s Cup team in their quest to win the hardest, and indeed oldest sporting trophy,” said Mark Cameron, Land Rover’s experiential marketing director. “Land Rover has been involved in sailing for a number of years, therefore being a part of the pinnacle event and having the opportunity to put our knowledge and expertise into the R1 race boat is a great showcase of a true industry collaboration between marine and automotive.”