Roberto Lacorte talks about FlyingNikka, the first Mini Maxi with foils

The entrepreneur, sailor, and pilot opens the doors to his world of challenges, passion, and adrenaline

He defied gravity in the open sea with FlyingNikka, the first full-foil offshore racing yacht, which made its debut at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo in 2022, leaving everyone in awe. A historic moment for world sailing, made possible thanks to Roberto Lacorte: successful entrepreneur, founder of the pharmaceutical company PharmaNutra, owner, sailor and racing driver. With him, we talk about FlyingNikka and his universe made of challenges, emotions, ingenuity and adrenaline.

How did your passion for sailing begin?

Since I was a child, I used to go fishing with my father, on a small sailing gozzo. My first passion was the sea itself; the love for sailing came as a consequence. In fact, I don’t consider myself a sailor but a seaman. I love being out on the water on any type of boat, sail or motor—the important thing is to live the sea. Even when I started competing, I always did it with the spirit of a seaman.

Your first racing boat?

It was a Comet 28 Race, 8.5 meters long, self-built by me and my father, assembling it piece by piece. One day the hull, then the engine, the mast, the equipment... after a year we finished it and started racing. It was a boat that stayed with us for years and grew with us, race after race. It was on that boat that I met my wife, which makes it very dear to me.

Roberto Lacorte, entrepreneur, shipowner and sailor

And after that?

I moved on to a 34-footer by Vismara, with which we came second at the World Championship. Then there was a Beneteau First 40, the boat of our first family outings and with which the 151 Miglia was born—now in its 16th edition. After that, again with Vismara, we designed Lady Nikka, a 47-footer.

And then came SuperNikka?

Yes, exactly. An incredible boat, born from the collaboration of two great professionals: Mark Mills, one of the best naval designers in terms of performance, and Alessandro Vismara, with his outstanding expertise in design and aesthetics. With her, we won every competition, also thanks to a crew that was able to bring her to the very top of her performance.

After all these successes, how did the idea of FlyingNikka come about?

I had commissioned Mills to design a 77-foot racing boat. When he brought me the project, I asked him what was truly special about it, and he honestly admitted that, in terms of performance, there were no major innovations. So I proposed an idea I had been mulling over for some time: a full-foil yacht for the open sea, with all its complexities—variable conditions, heavy waves... And we did it, we managed to make her fly. It was an exciting challenge. It pushed us to go further, and that’s what we continue to do: with every outing, we learn something new.

Your most beautiful regatta?

The victory with SuperNikka at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo 2015. The first of five.

Another great passion of yours is cars—what do these worlds have in common?

They have many similarities, especially now that I am sailing with a full-foil boat. Not only the technological component, but also the team spirit that unites regattas and endurance racing.

Tell us about the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

I will never forget the first time I came out of the pit, crossed the Dunlop bridge and realized I was racing the 24 Hours of Le Mans... it was an incredible thrill. It was 2017, and we finished seventh in class and ninth overall in the very first race, driving a Dallara LMP2.

Other memorable endurance races?

The victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring two years ago in a Ferrari 488 GTE.

Are you still racing with Ferrari?

Yes, with the 296.

Back to the world of sailing. How do you see the America’s Cup in Naples?

With pride. Italy has always represented excellence in the world of sailing and in the history of the America’s Cup, so I believe this is the rightful crowning achievement.

With your family, what boat do you use?

My wife and I wanted a wooden boat, elegant and romantic, and LuluNikka, designed by Giovanni Ceccarelli and built by the master shipwrights of the Checchi yard, is a true work of art. We use it for our family outings and for racing in the Spirit of Tradition category.