LAND Rover BAR are already planning their next assault on the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup after being knocked out of this year’s competition.

Thursday (June 8) was partly a day of sadness for the team after they lost their Play-off Semi Finals series 5-2 to Emirates Team New Zealand in Bermuda.

However, it was a great day for the future of the British challenge after several key partners signed up to continue their support of the Great Britain team.

Land Rover BAR’s first Challenge for the America’s Cup ended on the Great Sound, Bermuda, at the Play-off Semi Finals stage of the competition.

Despite the team’s consistency on the start line, and the rapid pace of development of their race boat, they lost 5-2 to Emirates Team New Zealand.

A three race day saw Land Rover BAR sailing their best race of the series to win race two and also achieve 100 per cent flight, from start to finish.

Land Rover and 11th Hour Racing have both confirmed their commitment to continue their partnerships with the team and Land Rover BAR skipper and team principal Sir Ben Ainslie believes his team will come back stronger for the next America’s Cup competition.

He said: “I was really proud of the way the team sailed both today and with our approach to this whole series.

“We struggled coming into this with a lack of speed for a number of different reasons. The whole team - the designers, engineers, shore team and everyone in the office - have dug so deep to make us more competitive.

“We did that throughout this competition to the point that there wasn’t a huge amount between the two boats today. It’s a huge credit to our team – and a huge thank you to them, I couldn’t be more proud.

“And a huge thank you to everyone back home in Britain for supporting us - we will be back next time and with support already in place from Land Rover and 11th Hour Racing, I know we will be stronger."