Team McLaren Mercedes’ British Formula 1 driver David Coulthard will be taking the wheel of Formula 1 Sailing’s brand-new Farr 65,Hugo Bosson Friday 8 August at Skandia Cowes Week.

Coulthard will join the Hugo Boss sailing team, skippered by Alex Thomson, founder of Formula 1 Sailing, on their final test sail and training day before the yacht takes the start line of the Rolex Fastnet Race on Sunday. Coulthard says: “I have always enjoyed sailing and spend a lot of time on my boat in Monaco, but this is my first time at the helm in a race. Hugo Boss is McLaren’s longest serving partner so I am especially excited to be involved with its first yachting partnership. I will enjoy learning from Alex during the race and I will do everything I can to ensure a top performance.”

Skipper Alex Thomson will act as coach Coulthard but the racing driver is said to be fully responsible for helming Hugo Boss , as Thomson explains: “I won’t be touching the wheel all day, David is here to have the Formula 1 experience on the water, which means driving the boat himself and competing against other ocean-racing machines right off the starting blocks to the finish line.”

Hugo Bossis racing in Class 0 for Skandia Cowes Week and is moored off the Royal Yacht Squadron during the regatta.

Coulthard raced his more usual steed, a McLaren Mercedes F1 car today in the German Grand Prix; he took 10th place on the starting grid in yesterday’s final qualifying session but drove a brilliant race to take second at Hockenheim.