In high-stakes ocean racing, the biggest hazard isn’t the ocean—it is placing untested talent inside a prototype boat. As Maranello advances the flight-testing phase for Project Hypersail, the paddock chatter surrounding Spanish offshore ace Alex Pella and veteran Italian boat captain Guido Broggi has intensified.
Their potential inclusion is not random speculation or cannon fodder. It represents a deliberate strategy to anchor Ferrari’s cutting-edge aerospace engineering with proven, real-world ocean racing experience.
The Track Record: Have They Worked with Ferrari or Giovanni Before?
Both Pella and Broggi share a deep history with Giovanni Soldini, having spent years managing high-speed multihulls under his leadership.
THE SOLDINI MULTIHULL FAMILY TREE
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[Giovanni Soldini] ---> Led Maserati Multi70 Record Campaigns
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+---> [Guido Broggi] (Chief Boat Captain & Technical Lead)
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+---> [Alex Pella] (Watch Captain & Jules Verne Record Holder)
1. Guido Broggi: Soldini’s Right-Hand Technical Mind
Broggi is effectively the operational architect behind Soldini’s most successful campaigns. Serving as the longtime Chief Boat Captain for the Maserati Multi70 trimaran, Broggi spent years alongside Soldini converting traditional multihulls into ocean-flying foilers.
- The Connection: Broggi knows how Soldini thinks, operates, and breaks down technical problems under pressure. More importantly, he specializes in high-load mechanical systems and structural integrity—making him the exact operational bridge Ferrari needs when translating F1 active-suspension algorithms into hardware capable of surviving 30-foot waves.
2. Alex Pella: The Jules Verne Speed Demon
Pella is widely regarded as one of the finest offshore multihull sailors on Earth.
- The History: Pella sailed alongside Soldini and Broggi during major record-breaking runs on the Maserati Multi70—including their legendary 2018 non-stop Tea Horse Route sprint from Hong Kong to London (36 days, 2 hours).
- The Credentials: Pella was a core crew member aboard Francis Joyon’s IDEC Sport, which set the absolute round-the-world Jules Verne Trophy record of 40 days, 23 hours. If Ferrari’s ultimate goal is setting a round-the-world record in a 100-foot monohull, hiring a sailor who has already broken the ultimate round-the-world record is a logical step.
Why They Are Being Considered
Ferrari’s engineering team, led by CTO Matteo Lanzavecchia, brings world-class expertise in aerodynamics, energy recovery, and telemetry. However, Maranello lacks native experience in Southern Ocean survival and 40-knot foiling dynamics.
Pella and Broggi offer critical operational advantages:
- Sailing-Language Translation: They bridge the gap between Ferrari’s F1 engineers and the physical reality of handling 9-ton sail loads.
- Tested Under Stress: Both men have spent decades fixing broken carbon fiber, managing foil cavitation, and making split-second decisions in complete darkness at 35+ knots.
- System Familiarity: Having worked extensively on Soldini’s early Hypersail development phases, they are already familiar with the project’s core objectives.
Cannon Fodder or Real Deal? When Will Decisions Be Confirmed?
While rumor mills in ocean racing often invent driver lineups for clicks, this specific pairing carries significant weight due to their historical track records.
PROJECT HYPERSAIL TIMELINE TO SEA TRIALS
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[Q3 2026] System Validation & Structural Bench Testing (Pisa)
[Q4 2026] Official Hull Launch & Preliminary Sea Trials
[Q1 2027] Crew Roster Finalization & Full-Power Sprints
What Is the Timeline for Official Confirmation?
Expect roster announcements to unfold in two distinct phases:
- Late 2026 (Sea Trial Roster): As the 30-meter hull hits the water off the coast of Pisa for initial shakedowns, a core “test crew”—which almost certainly includes Broggi for technical oversight—will be active on site.
- Early 2027 (Official Race Roster): The final 10-person sailing team for the 2027 record attempts will likely be locked in following initial sea trials, once the flight control systems are fully calibrated.
Far from being cannon fodder, Pella and Broggi represent the precise operational steady hands required to launch Ferrari’s ocean racing program smoothly.
