The dream of the America's Cup, once again
Sailing, in Italy, has famous names and faces, many: among these certainly Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and Max Sirena. For those who love this sport and its highest and most exciting expression - obviously we are talking about the America's Cup - it is impossible not to stumble upon their intertwined, rich, beautiful stories. Let's take that of Sirena, currently Skipper and Team Director of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team, the boat that in 2024 will attempt the assault on the "Brocca d'Argento", the oldest sporting trophy - not just sailing - in the world. Here, Sirena tasted the America's Cup for the first time in 2000, when the Italians fell in love with Luna Rossa, then he won it twice – with BMW Oracle Racing in 2010 and with Emirates Team New Zealand in 2017 – and now he has the ambition to finally bring it to Italy. His growth path and his career are inextricably linked to Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, to our country, to the people and companies that gave life to the boat and have always supported it, to some Italian excellences that are often forgotten, put into second floor. And Sirena can't explain why.
Your first America's Cup dates back to 2000 when the Italians became passionate about Luna Rossa's exploits. What do you remember about that edition?
It was an important moment for my career, because in some way it allowed me to realize the dream I had had since the 1980s, when I watched Azzurra. Being able to join that team changed my life: a passion became a full-fledged job. For Italy, that America's Cup kicked off a new era: we can say that professional sailing in our country was born thanks to Luna Rossa. Ours was a new, young group, with a lot of physical but also mental energy. We met Patrizio Bertelli for the first time, human relationships and friendships were born that are still very strong today.
Over the years your role within the team has changed a lot. In your opinion, how did you grow?
Mine has been a constant growth: from the first edition in 2000 to the one in 2013, in San Francisco, I participated in practically all the regattas. But not only that: I also followed the design of the boats, working alongside the engineers. I have always wanted to know a little about all the dynamics of hulls, even more so when it comes to the very fast and super-sophisticated ones that compete in the America's Cup. Then I got off the boat and accumulated further experience outside, and this allowed me to answer Patrizio Bertelli's call when he asked me to lead the Luna Rossa team.
How has your routine changed over the years? What aspects did you have to focus on most to increase your performance on board?
As a sailor, your goal should be to make the boat go faster. Faster than the day before, faster than your opponents. A member of the sailing team must always be 100% physically and mentally, so I paid a lot of attention to athletic preparation, I tried to improve my workstation, I took care of human relationships: those too are fundamental to achieving results. However, when you have a leadership or managerial role, there are other aspects that must be taken into consideration. Today I am involved in all processes, starting from the technical aspects up to the management of human resources and relationships with sponsors and shipyards. I work closely with the designers and the owners.
What does it feel like to be an Italian driving an Italian boat like Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, symbol of our country in sailing and in the world?
The emotion is incredible, but there is also a deep sense of responsibility. Carrying the Italian flag on the hull is a source of pride. Also because ours is an almost entirely Italian challenge: I am lucky enough to be able to interact with excellent companies and great managers, I am thinking for example of Pirelli and Prada, who have always supported us. It gives me satisfaction to know that Italy is actually a leader in terms of innovation capacity: it's something that is never sponsored enough, and I can't understand why. If we look at the navigation sector, our technologies are recognized among the best globally. Yet we don't talk about it, we don't divulge it: in this sense, we Italians have become very self-harming.
If we look at the last fifteen and twenty years, what is the aspect that has changed the most in the world of sailing?
Those who are lucky enough to work in what is the Formula One of the sea, I am obviously talking about the boats that participate in the America's Cup, have been struck by what has happened to hulls in recent years. Until a few years ago it was unthinkable that one could literally fly at certain speeds, simply pushed by the force of the wind, moreover. Experiencing this transition from the inside was incredible, but ultimately it is part of the DNA of sailors, of the America's Cup, of sports people in general, especially when they deal with a technological means: we always try to innovate to obtain performances that previously seemed impossible.
A new assault on the America's Cup is about to begin for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. You have already won the trophy, can you tell us about the sensations you feel? And above all, what do you think would happen if you won in 2024?
I was lucky enough to win the America's Cup twice. On an emotional level, however, those successes count for little. I can only truly say I won with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. And with the Italian flag on the hull. This is my personal goal, and I must say that it is a shared goal with every member of the team, with our partners, sponsors, ownership. The reason why I would like to win, beyond the personal satisfaction and joy of those who believe in this project, is precisely the curiosity about what would happen in Italy: with the "Silver Cup" here, we would witness scenes seen only when the national team wins a football World Cup. Also, because we are in a historical moment of negativity and skepticism, in which sport can bring something positive. We hope to do it ourselves.
