Born in 1961, Mario Caponnetto is a naval architect and fluids dynamicist whose life has been shaped by his love for the sea. A former international regatta winner, he pursued Naval Engineering at the University of Genova, later becoming a researcher and lecturer in hydrodynamics and CFD.
His career spans over 30 years of high-level design work for shipyards and 10 America’s Cup campaigns, earning two victories with Oracle Team USA, a Louis Vuitton Cup and a Prada Cup. In 2016, he co-founded Caponnetto Hueber SL in Valencia, today a global reference in CFD and performance innovation.
During the 33rd America’s Cup cycle, Mario Caponnetto contributed to hydrodynamic assessment workstreams aligned with the BMW Oracle wing-sail platform, the configuration that ultimately won the Match. This milestone marked the shift toward aero-hydrodynamic integration in Cup design culture.
BMW Oracle Racing
America’s Cup / Aero-Hydro Integration / Performance Engineering
In 2021, Caponnetto Hueber led the CFD, foil design, and hydrodynamic engineering for the AC75 of Luna Rossa Challenge, the eventual Prada Cup winner. We deployed multiscale CFD and aero-hydro coupling to ensure optimum lift and control. Rapid iteration delivered performance gains under tight competition timelines.
Luna Rossa Challenge
Racing Concept / CFD / Foil Design