Interim Switzerland driver Nathan Outteridge has said this month’s Season 4 Grand Final in San Francisco could mark his ‘last SailGP event’.
The experienced SailGP driver led the Japan SailGP Team to successive 2nd place finishes in Seasons 1 & 2, but lost his permanent driving position when the team’s participation was paused due to financial difficulties at the start of Season 3.
Since then, Outteridge has worked closely with the young Swiss team, joining as sailing advisor and co-driver midway through Season 3, and taking over as interim driver for the final four events of Season 4.
But with the start of Season 5 and return of permanent driver Sebastien Schneiter looming, Outteridge’s place on the start line looks under threat once again.
The venue of San Francisco, which will host this month’s Grand Final, is an ‘amazing venue’ which promises ‘really windy conditions, according to Outteridge. “I’ve got some great memories of sailing in San Francisco over the last 10 years and it’s a fantastic venue for SailGP.”
It could however, also host his last appearance in SailGP. “It will be my last drive with the [Swiss] team and potentially my last drive in SailGP, so I'm going to go to San Fran and enjoy it as much as I can,” he said after racing.
San Francisco’s Grand Final on July 13-14 will see all 10 F50s face off for the last time in Season 4, before the top three ranked teams proceed into the winner-takes-all, $2 million showdown.
While Switzerland is too far behind in the points to make it into the Grand Final, the team will compete in the preceding five fleet races with a chance of winning the San Francisco event title.
The team had an improved showing in New York - picking up a fleet race win and finishing 6th overall, but still languishes as the back of the fleet. Currently, the team sits 10th on the overall Season 4 leaderboard with 33 points, two behind Germany in 9th.
