AZIMUT YACHTS IS OFFICIAL YACHTING PARTNER OF FERRARI HYPERSAIL
Azimut brings its engineering expertise, innovation and advanced R&D capabilities to Ferrari’s pioneering offshore ocean racing project, providing a specially developed Fly 72 to support testing and operations.
Azimut Yachts has been named Technical Partner and Official Yachting Partner of Ferrari Hypersail, Ferrari’s ambitious project dedicated to offshore ocean racing.
The collaboration begins on shore, with the Ferrari Hypersail Operational Base established at the Azimut shipyard in Livorno, and extends to the water with the Azimut Fly 72 x Ferrari Hypersail a custom tow boat developed by Azimut’s Technical Department to support the prototype during its initial flight testing and subsequent test campaigns.
Through the partnership, Azimut brings decades of research, engineering expertise and a longstanding commitment to innovation to one of Italy’s most ambitious high-technology projects.
“We are the only brand in the industry with an independent R&D department focused exclusively on developing solutions that don’t yet exist on the market. It’s a choice driven by an insatiable hunger for progress, the same progress that has resulted in our joining forces with the visionary Ferrari Hypersail project. We are proud to be part of this challenging endeavour that generates new knowledge and inspiration for the yachting world.” Andrea Antichi, General Manager, Azimut Yachts
Lorenzo Giorgetti, Chief Racing Revenue Officer at Ferrari, commented: “The Ferrari Hypersail project was born out of the desire to create something never seen before, bringing Ferrari’s racing DNA to the world of ocean sailing yachts. We are delighted to have Azimut Yachts on board; their contribution to the custom tow boat project and the Livorno Operational Base will support a series of key activities during the project’s development and testing phase.”
A custom Fly 72 engineered for an extreme technical challenge Azimut’s R&D and Technical Departments were presented with a highly complex engineering challenge: developing a high-performance vessel capable of propelling the Ferrari Hypersail prototype to approximately 30 knots during its initial trials without mast and sails, while supporting the demanding dynamics associated with take-off and foil-borne flight.
The solution is based on the Azimut Fly 72, extensively customised through targeted modifications to optimise its power-to-weight ratio.
A rigorous weight-reduction programme, supported by the extensive use of carbon fibre, has reduced the yacht’s overall weight by six tonnes. At the same time, Azimut has integrated 4,000 horsepower into the yacht’s structural and systems architecture, effectively doubling the standard model’s power through a configuration developed exclusively for Ferrari Hypersail.
The installation required a bespoke engineering approach made possible by the Technical Department’s expertise and Azimut’s pioneering experience in the application of carbon fibre within the yachting industry.
To securely connect the Fly 72 to the Ferrari Hypersail prototype, the yacht has also been equipped with a specially engineered tow post. Developed following rigorous strength testing, the system is designed to withstand the extreme static and dynamic loads expected during testing operations.
The project brings together Azimut’s expertise across naval architecture, structural engineering, systems engineering and interior fit-out, creating a vessel specifically configured for the demanding requirements of Ferrari Hypersail.
Designed to support the team from testing to global event beyond its technical capabilities, the Fly 72’s onboard configuration has been customised to accommodate the Ferrari Hypersail team led by Enrico Voltolini, providing a functional environment designed to facilitate operations throughout the testing programme.
As the project progresses, the yacht will also serve as a platform for crew accommodation and VIP hospitality, supporting the Ferrari Hypersail team from the crucial stages of initial testing through to major events around the world.
The partnership brings together two Italian brands united by a shared pursuit of technological progress, engineering excellence and performance translating research and experimentation into solutions capable of pushing the boundaries of what is possible on the water. Innovation takes off.
