America’s Cup 2021: UK team INEOS boat problem revealed as union responds to brutal British expert analysis

INEOS Team UK has responded after their new America’s Cup boat was hit in a brutal blog post by a British expert.

Work is currently underway on the boat after damaging her mast and missing the first two days of practice racing ahead of next week’s World Series and Christmas Cup races.

The Herald understands that the UK INEOS team’s main concerns are centered on a “small hydraulic problem”.

In a statement to the Herald, the British union said: “We are working on our development program and we hope to be on track on Monday.”

The revelations come after British blogger Magnus Wheatley expressed disappointment that the ship seemed “at least two clicks slower on a racetrack”, before launching an attack on the union.

He claimed that he had been hearing “team discord with morale at the bottom.”

“Well imagine how you would feel if you spent £ 120 million of someone else’s money and had an absolutely incredible racing machine loaded with some of the best sailors on the planet, a supercomputer or two to measure a billion data points a day. and you’re still way off the beat, “Wheatley wrote.

“The first time you take it to a racetrack, it breaks. Then you go back to base, close the doors, and cry quietly.

“The management is on each other’s throats and the billionaire owner is breathing heavily down his neck … it’s depressing.

“Well that’s what’s happening in New Zealand right now with Ratty’s Rita (Ainslie’s boat) looking like the lamest of the lame ducks and the rest of the fleet and the commentators flabbergasted as to where it all went wrong.” .

Wheatley anticipated that the upcoming races could be “horrible” days for the team.

“Two races against the New Zealand team, the All Blacks of yachting, who will not take prisoners … They are a ruthless killing machine, as demonstrated yesterday on their cruise to victory over Team Prada.

“Getting close to their level will be almost impossible, not only for Team Ineos but for the rest of the rivals.”

However, sources close to the union claim that the boat was a “lame duck”, saying that reports suggesting it was broken and off-beat were “full of inaccuracies”.

Meanwhile, Team UK remained out of the water yesterday along with the other Challengers while Team NZ practiced on their own.

A spokesperson for Luna Rossa confirmed to the Herald that they did not run after the “long session” on Thursday.

“The guys are super tired after we had a very long session yesterday.”

The spokesperson denied that the challenger had any problems with his boat, after TNZ had an advantage over Jimmy Spithill and Luna Rossa in the first skirmish on Thursday, holding a lead of more than 30 seconds after two stages when the test ended.