Switzerland driver Sebastien Schneiter has said the team has ‘high expectations’ for its second SailGP season following its eighth place finish at Season 4’s opener in Chicago.
The team, which entered the league at the beginning of Season 3, finished Chicago with a 10-6-10-8-1 race record - winning the final fleet race of the event. Despite this, and despite making key crew changes - such as recruiting Olympic gold medallist Will Ryan as wing trimmer, - the team still finished at the back of the pack.
Reflecting on the weekend, Schneiter remained positive and said the team had a ‘very long’ season ahead.
“It was the first event of the season and the first event with this new crew line-up,” he said. “For us, it was all about getting better throughout the weekend and I think finishing with a race win shows that we did that.”
Looking ahead Schneiter said the team had ‘high expectations’ for the 12-event calendar of Season 4.
“We knew that the beginning was going to be a bit tough for us, but there are a lot of positive signs for the future.”
Switzerland’s race win on the second day of Chicago was its second overall. The team picked up its first race win on the second day of Season 3’s Singapore Sail Grand Prix - but both were made in light wind conditions.
The 10-strong F50 fleet will next go head to head at the Oracle Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix, which gets underway on July 22/23.
