Sir Ben Ainslie to take up new career in SailGP and will be replaced by fellow Olympic hero Giles Scott

Sir Ben Ainslie has announced he is stepping down as driver of the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team.

The 46-year-old, who won four Olympic gold medals at four consecutive Games, has been in the role since 2019 and been a majority owner since 2021, said the decision was the toughest of his career.

He will be replaced by double Olympic gold medallist and America’s Cup teammate Giles Scott in a league that sees national teams battle it out around the world on catamarans that fly across the water at incredible speeds for a $1m prize.

“Like any big decision, there’s plenty that goes into it and a lot of factors at play,” he said.

“As the CEO of both Emirates GBR and the INEOS Britannia America’s Cup Team, and most importantly a husband and father, at some point you’ve got to realise that you can’t do everything.

“I’m coming to that point where it’s time to let the next generation come through and have their opportunity. We’ve got a huge talent in Giles Scott, he’s one of the best in the sport and he will suit this style of racing perfectly. He’s an incredible sailor, one of the best I’ve ever raced with, but he’s also a very mature, level-headed person and that’s why I think he will do a fantastic job in SailGP.”

Ainslie, who is married to former Sky Sports News presenter Georgie Thompson, will continue his role as CEO of Emirates GBR but his final race as driver was in the Dubai race in December, with Scott coming in for the Abu Dhabi leg in January.

Ainslie and Scott initially competed against each other to represent Great Britain at London 2012, but Ainslie edged his spot and ended up winning his fourth gold medal before retiring from Olympic sailing.

In London, home fans saw his fiery side when competing in the medal race, telling his rivals who forced him into a penalty turn: “They’ve made a big mistake. They’ve made me angry and you don’t want to make me angry.”

He then carried that fierce competitive spirit into SailGP in his quest to be a winner. He was involved in one of the craziest crashes in the sport’s history when his boat took out the Japanese team.

However, ever the sportsman, he offered his boat so Japan could compete having taken responsibility for the incident.

New driver Scott, who competed at Rio 2016, winning gold in the Finn class, before achieving the double at Tokyo 2020, joins Hannah Mills (strategist), Iain Jensen (wing trimmer), Luke Parkinson (flight controller), Matt Gotrel (grinder), Neil Hunter (grinder), Nick Hutton (grinder) and Hannah Diamond (reserve sailor) on the team.

The next race on the calendar starts on 13 January.