Former Formula 1 champion Sebastian Vettel said Wednesday he is taking to the water as the co-owner of a German entry in SailGP, a competition for ultramodern catamarans.
“Parallels between sailors and Formula 1 have long existed,” said the 35-year-old Vettel at the team launch in Dusseldorf. “The boats are fascinating and the speeds on the water are incredibly high.”
The German boat is scheduled to compete when SailGP launches its fourth season in Chicago on June 16-17.
Vettel, who retired after last season, was the youngest world champion in Formula One history when the won the first of four consecutive titles in 2010. He is an investor in the SailGP team owned by German businessman Thomas Riedel.
“Both will take an active role in the management and performance of the team,” said a SailGP press release, without saying how much Vettel is investing.
SailGP stages regattas close to shore with identical high-performance, foiling, multi-hull boats that can reach speeds of 100 kilometres per hour.
Australia, skippered by Tom Slingsby, won the first three editions.
Erik Heil, a 33-year-old double Olympic bronze medallist, will skipper the German boat in its first season.
Ben Ainslie, a quadruple Olympic gold medallist, helms the British boat and Peter Burling, the youngest coxswain to win the America’s Cup, heads the New Zealand entry.
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