Former McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh has joined Ben Ainslie's America's Cup team as Chief Executive Officer.

Whitmarsh, former CEO of the McLaren Group and Team Principal of McLaren's F1 team, will join the British challenger for the 35th America's Cup, with the intention of the cup back to Britain.

"I'm delighted that Martin is joining us," said Ainslie. "When we first started to put together the plan for BAR (Ben Ainslie Racing), McLaren were one of the aspirations. So it's particularly appropriate to have one of the original architects of that model as our new CEO.

"Martin came highly recommended by many authoritative figures in the motorsport industry, and already has good relationships with several of our key partners, particularly the head of Red Bull Advanced Technologies, Adrian Newey." Whitmarsh worked with Newey at McLaren for nine years between 1997 and 2006.

Whitmarsh will join the team in the final few weeks before they move into their new purpose-built headquarters in Portsmouth. It was in the south coast city that Whitmarsh studied engineering at the city's University, before starting his career at BAE Systems' Hamble facility. He was subsequently promoted to work on advanced composites in Weybridge, rising to Manufacturing Director before moving to join McLaren as Head of Operations in 1989.

By 1997 he was Managing Director of the F1 team, eventually rising to CEO of McLaren Racing and McLaren Group alongside his role as Deputy Chairman of the McLaren Automotive Group.

"After 25 years at McLaren it's great to be able to turn my energies and experience to such an exciting sporting and technical challenge," said Whitmarsh. "McLaren developed into a multifaceted business, and I hope that my experience will help BAR in its aspiration for a sustainable business model, along with the clear goal of winning the America's Cup and bringing it back to British waters."

One of the first to congratulate Whitmarsh on the move was Ron Dennis, who said: "As a friend, Martin informed me of his Americas Cup appointment in advance, and I was delighted for him. I'm delighted for British ocean yacht racing too, because Martin will do a fantastic job for Ben and his team.

"Formula 1 and the Americas Cup enjoy a great many technical and operational synergies," he added, "and Martin's long experience at the highest level in Formula 1 will translate very well indeed to the equally competitive global sport that he's now taking on."