Inaugural UIM E1 World Championship season gets underway

The UIM E1 World Championship has arrived on the Red Sea as it gears up for its inaugural race, the E1 Jeddah GP.

History in the making, the world’s first all-electric raceboat championship, which gets underway in Saudi Arabia on 2 and 3 February following a spectacular opening ceremony in Jeddah, will see eight teams battle it out in high-octane racing to become ‘Champions of the Water’.

Season one will dock in some of the most breath-taking coastal cities across the world – with seven races scheduled in its debut year in a Race to Hong Kong – culminating on 9 and 10 November. The season one race calendar:

02-03 February – E1 Jeddah GP

11-12 May – E1 Venice GP

01-02 June – E1 Puerto Banus, Marbella GP

29-30 June – E1 Geneva GP

26-27 July – E1 Monaco GP

07-08 September – E1 Rotterdam GP

09-10 November - Hong Kong GP

The racing fleet consists of eight teams led by a formidable and exclusive group of E1 team owners that includes NFL legend Tom Brady, tennis great Rafael Nadal, international superstar DJ, Steve Aoki, African football icon Didier Drogba, billionaire technology entrepreneur Marcelo Claure, F1 superstar Sergio Perez and Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Marc Anthony.

E1’s inaugural race in Jeddah forms part of a wider, groundbreaking multi-year partnership with The Public Investment Fund (PIF), E1’s Principal and Founding Partner. The organization plays a vital role in this historic moment through the recently announced Electric 360 partnership, which also incorporates Formula Eand Extreme E. PIF has invested in E1 since its inception in 2021 and continues to define the growth of electric sports.

Each team will be home to two pilots, both a male and a female, selected after graduating from the E1 Pilot Academy – an extensive talent identification programme that handpicked athletes with a strong racing pedigree, with motorsport backgrounds ranging from rally driving to jet skiing. 

Over the course of the E1 Jeddah GP, we will see the teams go head-to-head in three stages – qualifying on Friday followed by knockouts and the finals on Saturday.

The teams are set to race in the RaceBird, the world’s first all-electric raceboat. The innovative boats are futuristic in design and utilize the latest cutting-edge hydrofoil technology to reach speeds in excess of 50mph.

Rodi Basso, CEO of E1, says he is excited for the championships to kick off and for the world to see the boats out on the water for the very first time:

“What we are doing with E1 has never been done before - we are charting unknown waters in our mission to drive change through electrified sport and sports entertainment.

“By combining innovation and sustainability with celebrity glamour and sporting drama, we’ve created a unique Championship that’s set to connect to a global fanbase and instigate change that will positively impact marine habits and waters in coastal cities.

“We are grateful to PIF and all our partners who have helped us realise our vision and bring the Championship to life.”

Alejandro Agag, Chairman of E1 added: “The E1 Jeddah GP is set to be a momentous occasion as we begin our journey to revolutionize and set a new standard for racing on the water. The union of high-profile celebrities, fiercely competitive pilots, and the pioneering RaceBird makes for a sporting spectacle like no other.

"We thank PIF and all our partners for their incredible support of E1, and we look forward to accelerating the transformation of clean mobility with PIF and Electric 360."

The Championship will be broadcast around the world including in 1.7bn homes with major broadcasters on CBS, ITV and Tencent, with newly added partners including beIn Sport and Sky Italia.

Team Blue Rising

Team Owner: Virat Kohli – global sports sensation and cricket legend

Pilot: Lisa Caussin Battaglia (Monaco) - A professional jet ski racer, Caussin Battaglia is a two-time gold medallist by the Major of Monaco with top ranks in UIM World Championships under her belt.

Pilot: Phelim Kavanagh (GBR) - Kavanagh is an experienced on and off-rad motorcycle pro racer –a podium finisher in the CCS 2022 season and a medallist in the RedBull Tennessee Knockout.

Team Sergio Perez

Team Owner: Segio Perez – Formula One favourite with six GP wins and 35 podiums

Pilot: Vicky Piria (ITA) - The ground-breaking racing driver and presenter was the first female competitor in GP3, racing for Formula Renault. The Italian was also the sole Italian W Series driver and boasts a second-place finish in the Gran Turismo Endurance Italian Championship.

Pilot: Dani Clos (SPA) - A former F1 test driver, Clos has showcased his ability in championships including GP3 and the revered Le Mans.

Team Miami Powered by Magnus

Team Owner: Marc Antony – Grammy award-winning American singer-songwriter and actor.

Pilot: Anna Glennon (US) - Hailing from the Lake of the Ozarks, USA, Anna Glennon is a professional jet ski racer. Her achievements include being crowned a World Champion and 8-time US and Canadian Champion.

Pilot: Erik Stark (SWE) - Born and raised in Stockholm, Erik is a professional powerboat racer with over 23 years' experience of driving boats – he's a six-time world champion and four-time European champion.

Team Aoki

Team Owner: Steve Aoki – international superstar DJ

Pilot: Saud Ahmed (KSA) - Ahmed is a professional jet ski racer and nine-time Saudi Jet Ski Champion.

Pilot : Mashael Alobaidan (KSA) - This pioneering racer was Saudi Arabia’s first female rally driver whose achievements includes a top 20 finish at the Dakar Rally Championship.

Team Rafa

Team Owner: Rafael Nadal – tennis legend and 22-time Grand Slam winner

Pilot: Tom Chiappe (FRA) - The French powerboat racer is a World Endurance Champion and winner of the 24hrs of Rouen in 2016.

Pilot : Chris Lazarraga (SPA) - The Spaniard is a decorated jet ski racer – winning titles including European Champion in 2019 and Vice World Champion in 2021.

Team Brazil

Team Owner: Marcelo Duarte – billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist

Pilot: Catie Munnings (GBR) - Munnings is a British Extreme E and WRX driver whose accolades include becoming Ladies European Rally Champion at the age of 18 as well as being a race winner with Andretti United Extreme E team.

Pilot : Timmy Hansen (SWE) - The Swede is a seasoned Extreme E and WRX driver and a former World Rallycross Champion.

Team Brady 

Team owner: Tom Brady – NFL Quaterback – being inducted into New England Patriots Hall of Fame later this year.

Pilot: Emma Kimiläinen (FIL) - Finnish racing driver who has been competing on the professional motor racing circuit since 2005. Emma has competed in various series such as the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship and W Series, where she finished 5th in her debut season in 2019. Her best W Series finish came in the 2021 season, claiming a place on the podium, finishing 3rd place.

Pilot: Sam Coleman (GBR) - 39-year-old Sam was introduced to powerboat racing in 2013 by his sister Daisy Coleman. The Welshman has gone on to become a house-hold name in the P1 SuperStock class where he has won four World Championships.

Team Drogba

Team owner: Didier Drogba – former Chelsea striker and Ivorian international. Since leaving football, Drogba has dedicated himself to the Didier Drogba Foundation which is committed to improving the lives of underprivileged children and young people in Africa.

Pilot: Oban Duncan (GBR) – the 18-year-old hailing from Scotland took the powerboat racing scene by storm as a youngster where she accrued 10 British titles. Now, she has the E1 World Championships in her sights.

Pilot: Yousef Al-Abdulrazzaq (KUI) – Yousef’s team mate, Oban, hadn’t even been born when he started his career in motorsport. Hailing from Kuwait, the 43-year-old is a seasoned veteran in the world of jet-ski racing where he has amassed 6 PRO World Championship titles as well as gold medal in the Olympics for his country.