The action-packed racing of SailGP is set to be supercharged with the addition of the Canadian and Swiss teams in Season 3, SailGP’s brand new podcast has been told.
Released today and hosted by world class sailors and SailGP’s international broadcast commentators Stevie Morrison and David ‘Freddie’ Carr, the Deep Dive podcast takes fans behind the scenes of all the racing action.
Speaking on the first episode of the podcast, Carr said the expanding fleet, which has swelled to 10 teams in Season 3, will ramp up the competition and result in even more racecourse drama.
“I think the jeopardy is right up there with eight boats so to chuck two more boats in there coming into gate 2 - the big first reach pinch point - it’s going to be hectic,” he said. “I think it will completely change the flavour of the racing.”
Morrison agreed that 'this action-packed racing is only going to get tighter'.
Morrison and Carr, who offered a pre-season preview ahead of the Bermuda Sail Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess next month, turned their attention to the Swiss team led by Driver Sébastien Schneiter.
At just 26, Schneiter will be the youngest driver in the series yet - a record that Morrison argues 'has to put pressure on him'.
However, both Carr and Morrison were positive about the Swiss team’s chances on the racecourse thanks to solid athlete signings and extensive training time in Bermuda.
“He’s done pretty well in the transfer market,” Morrison said, “he’s gone out there and found a lot of very experienced sailors”.
He pointed to wing trimmer and double Olympic medallist Stuart Bithell MBE and grinder Richard Mason, who has previous SailGP racing experience with the British team.
Morrison described Bithell as 'one of the calmest guys in sailing'.
“In this fast, action-packed racing that we have in SailGP you need calm and you need realistic,” he added.
Meanwhile with the signing of Mason means the Swiss team has 'bought access to some of the best knowledge in SailGP', Carr said.
“Mason knows F50s inside out and I can see him, with his character and his demeanour, acting as almost the team coach.”
Switzerland is also set to have the longest training time in Bermuda which, combined with their solid athlete line-up, could mean they progress to 'the top half of the leaderboard straight away', Carr said.
“With the extra training time and those key signings - I reckon that’s what they’ll be aiming for,” he said.
Morrison highlighted the private ownership of the team which 'gives them that freedom to have more training'.
“We’re starting to get more and more privately funded teams and that does give them that little bit more control over their program and means they can get a little bit more training in and if they use it wisely, it’s got to be a big advantage.”
The Deep Dive podcast is available on all major podcast platforms and will feature new episodes ahead of each event of SailGP Season 3.
