America's Cup: Ineos boss Sir Jim Ratcliffe's admission as Brits eye fresh America's Cup campaign

Sir Jim Ratcliffe celebrates onboard with Ineos Team UK after they won the round robin of the Prada Cup during the 36th America's Cup campaign. Photo / Photosport

Ineos Team UK took a lot of lessons from their campaign in the 36th edition of the America's Cup. Among those at the top of the list was the affirmation that, no matter how good your team of sailors are, if you don't have a boat that's up to speed, you don't stand a chance.

The British syndicate were one of the most followed storylines during the regatta in Auckland as they struggled mightily during December's Christmas Cup races, then impressed in the round robin of the Prada Cup challenger series before ultimately being eliminated by Luna Rossa.

During that time, the team were heavily scrutinised – with some media referring to their AC75 vessel as a "lame duck".

Ineos chief executive Sir Jim Ratcliffe admitted as much when reflecting on the campaign, saying the vessel they had on the water wasn't capable of winning.

"I don't think the Brits have ever arrived at the America's Cup with a boat that could have won, even though we've had some fantastic sailors. Our boat that we had for the AC36, it wasn't capable of winning. Technically, it wasn't quite good enough," Ratcliffe said at an event in Brackley.

The British syndicate have now linked up with the Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 team, with whom Ineos are principal partners, in order to set that right, working together on the design from the outset of the new campaign.

There are plenty of indications that the partnership could lead to a surge from the British syndicate come race time with aerodynamics playing a major role in both F1 and the America's Cup – even more so now the latter is being raced on 50-foot foiling monohulls.

There is also the fact that Team New Zealand's head designer and the man largely credited with being behind the design for the radical AC75 design Dan Bernasconi previously worked with the McLaren F1 team, who won two Drivers' World Championships with Mika Hakkinen (1998 and '99) and a Constructor's World Championship (1998) during Bernasconi's time leading their vehicle modelling team.

"I think with Formula 1 and the America's Cup, they share this common theme where you need to be excellent in the sport and the technology," Ratcliffe said of the relationship between the two competitions.

"Not many sports share that hybrid thing, and the Mercedes guys are probably the most successful Formula 1 team there's ever been, and that's the combination – good drivers but wonderful technology; they've had a car that's capable of winning.

"We learned a lot of lessons, but I think the combination of the technical expertise that Mercedes Formula 1 team has, together with Ben and his team, I think has the prospect of being quite exciting."

The venue and protocol for the 37th Cup have not yet been confirmed. As challenger of record, Ineos Britannia are working with defenders Team New Zealand to frame the protocol, which will include details on the new Women's and Youth America's Cups.

Team skipper Sir Ben Ainslie said he was confident the protocol would be published as planned on November 17 although he added he did not know where the Cup would take place as that was up to Team New Zealand.