Madrid rivals ride the same wave in SailGP move
Wall Street investment powerhouse Ares Management has sailed into partnership with Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe, acquiring a minority stake in the France SailGP Team - where old rivals suddenly find themselves in the same boat.
The $US546 billion asset manager, which counts Atletico Madrid among its sports investments, now shares an ownership table with Mbappe's Coalition Capital in the high-speed sailing franchise, creating a curious alliance between the Spanish capital's two soccer teams.
"We are thrilled to enter the league and join the France SailGP Team's existing owners group at this inflection point," said Jim Miller, Co-Lead of Ares' Sports, Media and Entertainment strategy, whose firm also holds stakes in Inter Miami and McLaren Racing.
The investment coincides with SailGP revealing it will add two new national teams for its 2026 season, expanding to 14 flying catamarans that rocket across global waters at speeds approaching 100 km/h.
"The investment in our French team by an organisation with a stellar portfolio underlines the strength of SailGP's global league model," said league managing director Andrew Thompson.
One of the six original SailGP Teams, the French team is spearheaded by driver Quentin Delapierre who assembled a stellar crew line-up when he took over as driver in Season 2.
Known for executing stellar starts and performing in wild and windy conditions, the team holds the SailGP racing speed record of 99.94 km/h set in Saint Tropez, Season 4.
France are currently sixth in the standings after a recent podium finish in New York. Spain, led by Olympic champion Diego Botin, top the 2024–25 season standings with 46 points. The next race comes at the British Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth on July 19–20.
Founded in 2019 by Oracle's Larry Ellison and sailing great Russell Coutts, SailGP has rapidly evolved from centralised ownership to a franchise model that has attracted celebrities and institutional investors alike.
Hollywood stars Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds recently acquired the Australian team, while a consortium of sports industry leaders took control of the Italian entry.
Professional services firm Deloitte will manage the selection process for the two new teams, with initial bids closing in mid-August and final decisions expected by early September.
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