SIR Ben Ainslie admits he feels more like a Formula One driver than a sailor as he leads Land Rover BAR’s revolutionary bid to win the America’s Cup.
The four-time Olympic champion set up his own team in 2012 and has since joined forces with the car manufacturer in an attempt to finally bring the Auld Mug back to Britain.
The America’s Cup was first staged in 1851 off the Isle of Wight and has never been won by a British boat, but a state-of-the-art approach could help end that drought in Bermuda this summer.
Land Rover BAR boasts Martin Whitmarsh, the former McLaren team principal, as its chief executive and his influence has clearly had an impact on Ainslie and the rest of the crew.
Virtual reality simulators have helped hone their senses, while technological developments, including the 23.5 metres-high wingsail, have combined to create a boat capable of beating defending champions Team Oracle USA.
“It’s like Formula One on water, it’s very high speed,” said Ainslie, speaking in Bermuda’s Royal Naval Dockyard, where the five other teams are also based.
“When these boats turn the corners the g-force is serious. If someone has made a mistake in crossing the boat when you’re making a turn they’ll just get wiped off the side of the boat. They won’t have a chance of staying on.
“At those speeds, with those forces, with the technology, you feel like a racing car driver or a pilot – it’s that sort of intensity. You have to be focused and on your game.
“It’s amazing. To think back 25 years and imagine a boat like this, it’s unthinkable really. It’s amazing and totally revolutionised the sport.”
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