Race 3 on Day 1 of the Auckland SailGP changed the direction of the weekend.
DS Automobiles France, driven by Quentin Delapierre, and the New Zealand Black Foils, helmed by Peter Burling, were separated by a single point when the boats came together. New Zealand sat on 18 points, France on 17. After the incident, New Zealand received an eight-point penalty and dropped to 10. France retained their 17 points, which would have been enough to reach the Auckland Final.
Neither team raced again.
Both F50s sustained damage significant enough to end their regatta. Racing was halted on Day 1, and the schedule was reshaped for Day 2 into two races split into fleets (four races in total) followed by the winner-takes-all Final, which Australia won. France and New Zealand watched from ashore.
After the event, SailGP Technologies has been busy taking parts from both wrecks, creating from the parts one working boat—but that is still, and for a while will be, a work in progress.
In an exclusive discussion with Boating New Zealand, while he is in Sydney, Delapierre speaks plainly about what he experienced.
The Auckland SailGP crash: “It happened in less than a second”
“The impact was huge and we never experienced that magnitude of impact. It’s the very first one with that violence.”
He returns repeatedly to how quickly it unfolded.
“Looking at the crash itself, it just happened in less than a second. As soon as the Kiwi boat went up and the crash happened, everything happened in less than a second. The two boats were super close before the incident.”
He says he reacted, but there was no room to manoeuvre.
“I tried as much as I could to reduce the damage, but honestly, it was just impossible to avoid the contact.”
There is no accusation in his account. Instead, he acknowledges the broader context.
“It’s just unfortunate for the Kiwi boat and for the French boat. We’re just super lucky that the injured athletes are okay today.”
Manon Audinet’s recovery and SailGP’s safety response
France strategist Manon Audinet was the crew member taken to the hospital. Delapierre is clear about her condition.
“Manon left the hospital last week. She’s fine, and she’s ready to come back on the water. No major injuries.”
He speaks about her resilience as much as her recovery.
“I’ve known her for a while, and she’s a tough athlete. I’m pretty sure she’s already focused on the next steps. I don’t think she’s hurt mentally by the crash.”
Even so, the team chose to act carefully.
“Just to make sure, the team organised some psychologist sessions, just to take care of Manon and make sure she’s moving on.”
The Auckland SailGP crash has renewed discussion around safety. Delapierre is firm in his view.
“I’m not saying that the safety was not there. It’s the opposite. SailGP is the safest sailing league in the world in my opinion. The safety process we had that day on the water was very professional.”
He recognises that the league continues to evolve.
“SailGP is moving super fast, only six seasons. We put together some groups to make sure the safety will increase and we find new solutions.”
What happens next for France and the Black Foils
The rebuild now sits with SailGP under its one design structure.
“Regarding the boat repair, the French team is not in charge. It’s the responsibility of SailGP and we are supporting them. We give them all our trust.”
There is still no confirmed timeline for when either the France F50 or the New Zealand F50 will return to service.
“For the moment, we cannot confirm the next GP we will be able to race. It’s not under our control.”
Missing Sydney, he admits, “is of course not the perfect world for us.” Then he adds perspective.
“SailGP is never the perfect world. Every team will have problems or issues. We experienced ours now. We will regroup.”
He will still be present at the next event, though not on the F50.
“I will not attend as a spectator. I will be in the coach booth with my coaches, trying to improve our processes between the coach booth and the athletes, making sure they are sharper in the next ones.”
Mentally, he feels steady.
“This incident will not change my mind or my focus in the next GP. I’m still really focused on the competition. I’m lucky I’m not mentally hurt. I just want to go back on the water and have a nice experience with my teammates, nice victories. We don’t have to spend too much time on the past or make it too dramatic.”
The 2026 Auckland SailGP will be remembered for the collision between France and the Black Foils. For Delapierre, it is part of a longer season. His focus, he says, has not moved.
