Yachting Art Magazine

By becoming an official supplier to Luna Rossa for the 38th America’s Cup, Yamaha Motor Europe is forging much more than just a technical partnership. The Japanese manufacturer is combining its marine expertise with one of the most iconic teams in world sailing, in a shared pursuit of excellence, precision and victory.

There are partnerships that go beyond the mere industrial sphere and become a matter of course. The partnership announced between Yamaha Motor Europe and Luna Rossa undoubtedly falls into this category. With the 38th edition of the America’s Cup approaching, scheduled for 2026 and 2027, the Japanese manufacturer is set to become the official supplier to the prestigious Italian team, thereby sealing a strategic partnership of great technological and symbolic significance.

On the one hand, Yamaha, a key global player in motorised water sports, whose DNA is deeply rooted in competition, innovation and mechanical expertise. On the other, Luna Rossa, the Italian embodiment of high-performance sailing, a legendary America’s Cup team renowned for its technical rigour and obsessive attention to detail.

In the ultra-competitive world of the America’s Cup, where every second hinges on the excellence of execution, support boats have become strategic assets in their own right. It is precisely in this arena that Yamaha will contribute its expertise, equipping Luna Rossa’s entire support fleet with its most advanced outboard technologies.

The AC75 programme, the technological heart of the next America’s Cup, will thus benefit from a particularly sophisticated support fleet. Support boats number 1 and number 3 will be fitted with quad Yamaha V8 XTO 450 ch engines, whilst boat number 2 will feature a triple V8 XTO 450 ch configuration. These set-ups will also incorporate the Helm Master EX system and Yamaha’s wireless controls, offering coaches and technical teams a very high level of manoeuvring precision and operational control.

Beyond pure performance, Yamaha will also bring a strong visual identity to this fleet thanks to an elegant, uniform white finish, emphasising the aesthetic and technological coherence of the partnership.

Yamaha’s commitment is not, however, limited to the main AC75 programme. The manufacturer will also support Luna Rossa’s AC40 projects, notably in the context of the Women’s America’s Cup, the Youth America’s Cup and the preliminary regattas. Two customised RIBs will thus complete the fleet, each fitted with two 300-chevaux Yamaha V6 engines.

These vessels will benefit from DES integrated electronic steering technology and the Helm Master EX joystick, enabling intuitive manoeuvrability and optimal responsiveness during rapid manoeuvres and in high-intensity sailing environments.

But beyond the figures and technical specifications, this alliance above all reveals a deep alignment of values between the two brands. For in the world of the America’s Cup, technology alone is never enough. Trust, reliability and the ability to perform under pressure are essential components of victory.

Yamaha and Luna Rossa share precisely this culture of absolute excellence. A vision in which innovation is not a marketing ploy but a tool for tangible performance, developed to function in the most extreme conditions.

“The America’s Cup represents the pinnacle of performance, innovation and teamwork,” emphasises Fabrice Lacoume, Director of the Marine Division at Yamaha Motor Europe. “Racing has always been an integral part of Yamaha’s DNA, and this partnership is the natural extension of that heritage and passion for challenges.”

The Italian side shares this approach. For Max Sirena, CEO of Luna Rossa, the reliability of the support fleet is a crucial factor in the day-to-day running of an America’s Cup campaign. “Every detail counts, particularly the reliability and precision of our support fleet. We have chosen Yamaha technologies for their proven performance and the confidence they inspire in high-pressure environments. ”

This collaboration also comes at a time when the America’s Cup is increasingly becoming a global technology laboratory, extending far beyond the realm of sailing alone. Propulsion, control, electronic management and data integration systems now play a central role in the teams’ ecosystem.

For Yamaha, this involvement with Luna Rossa therefore represents an exceptional global technological showcase. The partnership enhances the manufacturer’s visibility within the premium world of competitive sailing, whilst highlighting the sophistication of its integrated marine solutions.

For Luna Rossa, Yamaha’s arrival ensures access to a support infrastructure capable of meeting the same exacting standards as the AC75s themselves. For behind the spectacular images of foiling boats soaring above the water lies an extremely complex logistical operation, where the speed of response, safety and reliability directly determine sporting performance.

The collaboration will officially begin ahead of the first preliminary regatta, scheduled to take place in Cagliari, Sardinia, from 21 to 24 May 2026. It will then support the Italian team right through to the America’s Cup in the summer of 2027.

In this alliance between Japanese engineering and Italian excellence, Yamaha and Luna Rossa share a common ambition: to push the boundaries of performance on one of the world’s most prestigious sporting and technological stages.