The Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team experienced a heart-stopping moment during practice on Wednesday. In a dramatic YouTube short released yesterday, footage captured the F50’s hull lifting sharply on one side before splashing down and coming to an abrupt stop. The jarring impact sent some crew members into the water, before which all were tossed about on board.
We caught up with driver Martine Grael last night for insight into the incident. Although the exact details remain unclear, she believed the F50 struck an underwater object with its rudder, causing the boat to halt almost instantaneously.
“Nobody was hurt badly. We all got some bruises and a bit of hurt pride, but no permanent damage,” Grael assured us.
Thankfully, the F50 itself emerged unscathed, though the incident did set the team back.
“It cost us a good hour and a half while we carried out thorough checks on the team and ensured the boat wasn’t damaged, with all systems in working order,” she explained.
The story first surfaced as a short clip on YouTube rather than an official statement from SailGP. The dramatic footage has since sparked widespread attention, highlighting the inherent risks and excitement of high-performance sailing.
With practice back on track and the team in good spirits, the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team remains ready to tackle the challenges ahead as the action heats up on the water during this weekends round of SailGP.
