Ben Ainslie and INEOS Britannia Split, Legal Dispute Looms Over America's Cup

British sailing legend Ben Ainslie and billionaire Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS Britannia part ways after disagreements, jeopardizing Britain's America's Cup plans.

Sir Ben Ainslie, Britain's most successful sailor, and INEOS Britannia, led by billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, have ended their partnership after failing to agree on terms for the 38th America's Cup.
The split follows Britain's historic but unsuccessful bid in 2024, where Ainslie's team reached the America's Cup final for the first time in 60 years but lost 7-2 to New Zealand.
Ainslie, now leading Athena Racing, has expressed astonishment at the decision and hinted at potential legal action over intellectual property and assets tied to the partnership.
INEOS Britannia, under Ratcliffe's leadership, plans to continue its America's Cup challenge with 100 engineers and scientists working on a new yacht, leveraging Mercedes F1's technology.
The fallout raises uncertainty over Britain's America's Cup prospects, including whether Athena Racing or INEOS Britannia will retain the Challenger of Record status.