The league has long planned to move to a split-fleet format once they get 14 boats in the fleet, which will happen in 2027.
SailGP trialled the format in Auckland last year for practice but chose not to race in it. It has, however, continued to split the fleet for practice racing.
Coutts did, however, believe the split-fleet format would not really change much for the first leg of races – a straight-line sprint to the mark – but would remove congestion around the markers, particularly at the bottom gate.
“It really doesn’t really affect that situation that happened yesterday because they were sailing in a straight line and that could happen with two boats. You know, it could happen in a match race.”
Coutts praised the response from the SailGP safety team after the collision between the two boats and said a review of the situation had been undertaken overnight so the league could react before racing began on Sunday.
The incident saw Black Foils grinder Louis Sinclair suffer compound fractures while French strategist Manon Audinet suffered an abdominal injury that Coutts referred to as “internal bruising.”
He also said a sailor was trapped in a compartment of the boat in the immediate aftermath of the crash.
“There were lessons to be learned about the communications and the way we assess the situation. There always are and that’s the goal of a situation, a program like that. Fortunately nobody was really seriously injured and you can take those lessons away and perhaps respond in a better way in the future and learn by it and perhaps save a life if you have a similar situation in the future.”
– More to come
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.