Tomorrow’s racing closes out the 2025 SailGP Championship, but it is also a full event in its own right. All twelve teams will line up for the standard three fleet races on Saturday and three more on Sunday. Those points matter, but this year they roll straight into the season leaderboard rather than deciding the finalists on their own.
It means the Grand Final places will be earned by what teams have done all year, not just by what happens in Abu Dhabi. A team could sail well here and still fall short, and one slip from a frontrunner could be enough to knock them out of the top three. For New Zealand, Great Britain, Australia and Spain, every leg of all six races will count.
New Zealand also carry an extra challenge into the weekend.
Burling is injured, but the Black Foils keep their footing
Peter Burling confirmed today that he cut the end of his index finger during training. “A tiny bit off the end,” was how he put it — understated, but enough to rule him out of practice. Liv Mackay will steer the boat during warm-ups while the team protects Burling ahead of race one.
Whether he starts tomorrow at full strength is still uncertain.
The Black Foils have spent the season building depth across the squad, and Mackay’s time on the wheel fits that approach, even if the timing isn’t ideal. Burling played down the worry, as he tends to do.
“These things can happen to anyone throughout the season, and you’ve got to be able to deal with them. We’re doing everything we can to be ready,”
— Peter Burling
New Zealand’s form in the region remains a comfort. The Black Foils have never lost a SailGP event in the UAE. But with the forecast looking soft and the fleet using the new 27.5-metre wing, there is little room to rest on history.
Robertson returns — a Kiwi stepping into Italian colours
Phil Robertson brings a familiar New Zealand thread to the weekend, though he has no influence on the 2025 title race. The Auckland-born driver joins Red Bull Italy for the first time this weekend and is set to race tomorrow. While he may sharpen Italy’s performance straight away, his real job lies ahead.
Robertson has joined the squad for the 2026 season, which begins in Perth, and Abu Dhabi offers him a gentle way in. Italy cannot reach this year’s Grand Final, so he has no pressure on the standings. Instead, the weekend allows him to get a feel for the boat, work in with his new crew, and settle into the programme before the new season starts.
For a sailor known for bold starts and quick decisions, it is an ideal way to ease into a new team.
Emirates GBR hold the season lead – but only just
Dylan Fletcher’s Emirates GBR sit at the top of the table, but the new format means they cannot relax. The six fleet races here will either protect their tally or open the door for someone else. Fletcher noted the team’s steady improvements and the strength of his partnership with strategist Hannah Mills.
They look composed, but the numbers remain tight.
Australia fine-tune for light winds and arrive well backed
Australia, sailing as the Bonds Flying Roos, are once again in the hunt. Tom Slingsby spoke openly about the work his crew has done this year to improve in lighter conditions. With strategist Chris Draper helping shape their approach, the Australians look better balanced than earlier seasons.
Slingsby pointed to Spain as the team that worries him most, a nod to how fine the margins are. He also hinted that the team now has stronger backing under their new ownership, making it easier to keep talent and attract new sailors.
The Australians know how to deliver when it matters. They remain a major threat.
Spain: calm, sharp and always dangerous
Spain sits just behind the frontrunners but remains firmly in the picture. Diego Botín stayed measured throughout the briefing, but the rest of the room knows what he brings. Spain won last year’s Grand Final and were the first team to trial the new 27.5-metre wing this season.
Their route is clear: sail well in the six fleet races and protect their season score. If they reach the Grand Final, they are as capable as any of the big three.
Tom Slingsby said it plainly:
“If I’m honest — the one I’d least like on my hammer is Diego.”
A Grand Final shaped by the whole season
With the revised format, everything rides on a long year of racing rather than a single event. For the top four teams, every start, every shift and every crossing in Abu Dhabi will either keep them in the top three or push them out.
New Zealand need to manage Burling’s finger and keep their composure. Great Britain needs to defend their narrow lead. Australia need to convert their preparation into points. Spain needs one more gritty weekend to make the final.
Six fleet races will sort the order. Three boats will reach the Grand Final.
One race will decide the champion.
The Black Foils may be bruised, but they are still very much in the fight — and in the UAE, they remain the team no one wants to line up against if they make the final three.
