Appointed project leader of Hypersail in early April, replacing Giovanni Soldini, 39-year-old Italian Enrico Voltolini discusses his background and the project’s next steps.
You’re not very well known in France. Could you tell us about your sailing career before joining the Hypersail project?
I studied naval engineering and, on the racing side, I competed in the Laser, then the Finn and the Star, before returning to the Finn. I then made my debut in the America’s Cup in Auckland with Luna Rossa, followed by Barcelona. After that, I joined the SailGP circuit with the Italian team, alongside Jimmy Spithill. It was while competing there that I also joined this project, before becoming its project leader. It’s a major responsibility, and inevitably there’s pressure, because when you look at the boat, the sheer number of components and its overall complexity, it’s a lot to manage. Fortunately, though, I can rely on the support of Maranello and Ferrari. I’m not on my own.
What is your main priority at the moment? Working on the simulator, recruiting?
For now, I’m not spending much time on the simulator because I simply don’t have enough time. Giulia (Conti), Shannon (Falcone) [the first two sailing team members announced in September, ed.] and others are currently taking care of that. My most important task is indeed to select the right people, both for the shore team and the sailing team. We’ll also be announcing our navigator very soon: someone who isn’t Italian and has extensive offshore sailing experience.
France has a great deal of expertise in this field. Will you be approaching French sailors?
I’m already in contact with a few French sailors, and we’ll see in due course whether any of them join us.
What are the next steps for the project?
By the end of December, we’ll be moving to Livorno [to Hypersail’s new base], where we’ll install the appendages and the mast. We’ll carry out structural tests before the boat is launched, which is scheduled for the end of March. The next phase will involve foil-flight testing with the boat being towed, to validate the Flight Control system and test the foils’ strength. We’ll then step the mast permanently and begin sailing under sail, hopefully in mid-April.
Do you have an idea of the boat’s first record attempt or first race?
I already have something in mind, but I can’t reveal it just yet. Once the boat is performing perfectly, I’ll let you know!
Is the goal to have the fastest boat around the world?
I do indeed see it as capable of breaking the record (the Jules Verne Trophy), even if only by a few seconds. What’s certain is that, if we get favourable weather conditions and sail the boat to perfection, it has enormous performance potential.
Photo : Ferrari
