A journey shaped by ambitious choices, vision and team spirit. These are the pillars underpinning the 2026 sporting season of Maccaferri Futura, the Class40 project of Officine Maccaferri developed together with ocean sailor Luca Rosetti. The new additions to the team and the racing calendar were presented this afternoon to the media and partners at Duomo18, during a meeting moderated by Sky Sport columnist Giovanni Bruno.

For the new season, Officine Maccaferri has chosen to give the project a strong boost, starting with the strengthening of the sporting team, with the aim of significantly raising performance levels. It is in this context that Francesco “Checco” Bruni and Alberto Bona come on board: two leading figures in international sailing, brought in to contribute experience, methodology and specialist expertise to the further sporting and technical development of Maccaferri Futura.

Sergio Iasi, Chairman at Officine Maccaferri, opened the presentation with the following remarks: “Day after day, at Maccaferri we support Futura by creating the best possible conditions for Luca and the team to work at their best and achieve ever more ambitious results. Today this project can rely on an even more well-rounded team thanks to Checco and Alberto, with the constant support of a group that shares objectives, methodology and responsibility, including on shore. For us, Futura embodies Officine Maccaferri’s ambition to strengthen and consolidate its leadership over the long term, through targeted investments, solid expertise and a clear vision of future challenges.”

Echoing his words was Luca Rosetti, skipper of Futura: “The work carried out in 2025 was fundamental, because it allowed us to build solid foundations and to understand just how far we can push Futura. 2026 will be intense, with competition at the highest level, but today we can face it with greater awareness and confidence. Knowing that we have a stronger and more structured team behind us makes all the difference when it comes to pushing beyond our limit.”

Already announced as part of the project, Checco Bruni will work closely with Rosetti and the team on preparation, boat handling and in-race decision-making, bringing on board experience built at the very highest levels of international competition. Bruni will be an active presence on board, across training sessions and races, helping to raise the pace at every stage of the season.

“Joining Maccaferri Futura means sharing a project with clear ambitions and a very pragmatic approach,” commented Checco Bruni. “There is a boat with great potential and a well-structured team that wants to work properly, both at sea and on shore. I can’t wait to start sailing and to get to work alongside Luca and the team, bringing my experience to push performance and take on what will be a highly competitive season.”

Alberto Bona will take on the role of Performance Specialist, working alongside Rosetti and the team in preparing for a season that is shaping up to be particularly ambitious. His contribution will go beyond helping to develop a fast and reliable boat, extending to close collaboration with Luca on every detail of the build-up to the Route du Rhum. A well-established figure on the international ocean sailing scene, Bona brings to the project experience gained in the longest and most technical offshore races, built both in single-handed ocean classes and in ultra-competitive circuits.

“I am very happy to have received this call to jump on board the Maccaferri Futura project! For me it is a new adventure and an important change of perspective, and I am highly motivated to make my contribution. Luca has a major sponsor and an excellent boat – he has everything it takes to do well. My input will be more focused on skipper preparation, with support for individual performance. The Route du Rhum is a very major event: the key will be to arrive fully prepared and able to exploit 100% of the boat’s performance.” added Alberto Bona.

Maccaferri Futura is the result of a team effort that goes well beyond those on board: it is a collective project bringing together sporting, technical and organisational expertise, supported by a highly qualified shore-based structure. Alongside the skipper are Giulia Albuzio, who as Team Principal oversees the development of the project in line with its strategic objectives and sustainability priorities; Paolo Bertazzoni, Resident Manager, responsible for the sporting and technical-sailing area as well as team logistics; and Yaël Poupon, Boat Captain, a key figure in the day-to-day operational management of the yacht.

An ambitious calendar, with the Route du Rhum and the Class40 Championship as key milestones

Maccaferri Futura’s sporting programme is built around a high-profile racing calendar, kicking off in April with the Spi Ouest-France Banque Populaire Grand Ouest, followed by La Trin’40 and the Armen Race in mid-May. The season will then continue with some of the most demanding offshore events on the circuit, from the CIC Normandy Channel Race to the Round Ireland Race, and on to the Drheam Cup in July. The key moment of the year will be the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe, starting on 1 November: a solo transatlantic crossing of more than 3,500 nautical miles from Saint-Malo to Pointe-à-Pitre, representing a challenge that brings together technical preparation, set-up choices, long-term performance management and decision-making skills in complex ocean conditions.

In preparation for such an intense calendar, the team will head to Cascais for the first training sessions between February and March, with the direct involvement of Bruni and Bona, to work in depth on boat handling, set-up and speed. Maccaferri Futura is thus preparing to enter a new phase of its journey, with the aim of competing against the top teams in the class and establishing itself consistently among the leading contenders on the circuit.