Martine Grael points to ‘team dynamics’ after Brazil SailGP exit

Martine Grael has broken her silence on her exit from Mubadala Brazil, and one line stands out. SailGP’s first female driver says she is 'disappointed with how things have unfolded with team dynamics over the past year'.

“As is publicly known, the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team and I are sailing in different directions. Naturally, I am disappointed with how things have unfolded with team dynamics over the past year. The team will continue in SailGP, and I will continue on my path in racing as long as my passion fuels me. One door closes, and others will open in the future.

If I had to choose one word to describe what it was like to helm the Brazilian boat: gratitude! Gratitude for the incredible support I felt from the public throughout these two years. Gratitude to the SailGP league for its pioneering spirit and for welcoming me. Gratitude to the people and sponsors who made this possible. But new challenges on the horizon, I will embrace them with the same enthusiasm and dedication I have always brought to everything.”

It has been a bumpy year. Weeks after Brazil were caught up in the triple collision with Italy and the US in New York, Grael swapped places with strategist Paul Goodison for Halifax – billed at the time as a trial – before returning to the helm for Portsmouth, Sassnitz and Valencia. Brazil arrive in Geneva last on eight points.

The messaging hasn’t entirely lined up, either. Last week Grael declared herself “officially unemployed”, yet the team’s statement circulated by SailGP said she had “decided not to complete the 2026 season”, adding that “the change in the team had already been professionally and strategically planned for this stage of the season… As always, we have a plan in place and a team prepared to manage these adjustments in the best possible way.”

Then came a midweek twist. Having named Brazilian Olympian Marina Arndt as Goodison’s replacement as strategist, the team announced on Wednesday that Kahena Kunze – Grael’s 49erFX partner for gold at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 – will switch back from Rockwool Denmark to take the role for the final three events of the season.

It’s a reshuffle that has left us scratching our heads. On this week’s podcast, Andy Rice pointed out how surprising it is that the Brazilian is the one leaving the Brazilian boat, and stranger still that Grael isn’t staying on as strategist for the remainder of the season. His read was that it may come down to a clash of two strong personalities at the back of the boat – backed up by Martine’s statement above – though he was quick to add that there’s likely plenty more to this story. And while this looks like goodbye for now, he’s not totally convinced it’s goodbye for good.

Could we even see her race for USA in Geneva this weekend? The Foil crew will be on the ground, and we’ll be trying to find out more about what went on behind the scenes in the Brazil camp. For now, we wish Martine the very best for whatever comes next – whether or not that leads her back to SailGP.

UPDATE 17/9: