Ex-McLaren F1 team boss joins Ainslie's America's Cup team

LONDON (AP) Former McLaren Formula One team principal Martin Whitmarsh is joining Ben Ainslie's bid to become the first Englishman to win the America's Cup.

The 56-year-old Whitmarsh spent 25 years with McLaren, where he became chief executive and team boss. He left the F1 outfit last year.

Whitmarsh will now serve as chief executive of Ben Ainslie Racing, the British challenger for the 35th America's Cup.

He says ''it's great to be able to turn my energies and experience to such an exciting sporting and technical challenge.''

Whitmarsh will work again with Adrian Newey, who is now head of team partner Red Bull Advanced Technologies. The two men were at McLaren together for nine years.

Ainslie is a four-time Olympic gold medalist.