First international championship for all-electric motorboats

E1 Series

The E1 Series, the world’s first international championship for electric foiling boats, kicked off in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at the beginning of February. The innovative, environmentally friendly mixed racing series is packed with celebrities. Tom Brady, Rafael Nadal, Didier Drogba and other famous names are each taking part with a team.

On February 2, 2024, the UIM E1 World Championship celebrated its debut in Jeddah. The championship was initiated by Alejandro Agag, the pioneer of electric motorsport, to whom we already owe Formula E and Extreme E. To establish the E1 Series, he teamed up with former NASA aeronautical engineer and Formula 1 veteran Rudi Basso and received financial support from the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund PIF.

Novel championship

Seven acts have been confirmed so far. The event in Geneva has been canceled, but talks are already underway to hold it in the second season. The individual acts all have the same
structure. A maximum of ten teams can take part, each with one driver and one female driver, who take turns on board the futuristic hydrofoils called RaceBird during the two-day events. Most of them have experience in motorsport or jet skiing. Each race weekend begins with qualifying sessions in the form of timed races, followed by four races. On the second day, knockout races and the final are on the program. The best team of all acts can call itself “Champion of the Water”. The regattas take place on courses close to the coast so that the public can watch the spectacle of the Formula 1 boats from the shore.
As well as providing sport and entertainment, the E1 Series aims to help protect the oceans, revolutionize mobility on the water and accelerate change in maritime transport by demonstrating the positive impact of decarbonization and highlighting sustainable solutions. Through the mixed teams, they also contribute to gender equality in boating.

RaceBird with a futuristic design

At the heart of the E1 Series is the RaceBird, a futuristic one-design boat with electric propulsion, modeled on the flight of birds over the water. The 800 kilo, 7.5 meter long and 3 meter wide foiler was designed by the Norwegian Sophi Horne, constructed and built by SeaBird Technologies in collaboration with Victory Marine. It is equipped with a 35 kWh battery and a 200 hp motor and features a closed cockpit and innovative hydrofoil technology. The hydrofoils ensure that the electric boats fly over the water at up to 50 knots thanks to maximum energy efficiency and minimal water resistance. Rodi Basso, CEO of the E1 Series, is firmly convinced of the potential of the RaceBirds: “We have transferred everything we have learned in the automotive sector to the boat. The foil is the future of powerboats.”

Big crowd of stars

The racing series features a host of prominent personalities as team bosses. “We own the exclusive rights to the championship for the next 25 years and sell the licenses as a franchise. The better the E1 Series runs, the higher the value of the licenses will be,” says Rodi Basso, who used to work as CEO at McLaren Motorsport. Ex-footballer Didier Drogba, former NFL star Tom Brady, DJ Steve Aoki, singer-songwriter Marc Anthony, businessman Marcelo Claure, tennis player Rafael Nadal, Formula 1 driver Sergio Perez and cricketer Virat Kohli are also involved. Actor Will Smith joined in Act 2. All team bosses want to help protect the oceans with their commitment. Didier Drogba explains how he became interested in the electric boat championship: “We were invited to a Formula E race in Riyadh. There we saw how useful electric cars are and what impact environmentally conscious action has. I didn’t just want to watch, I wanted to get actively involved and do my bit to protect the oceans and do something about the problems of climate change at my own level.” For this reason, he decided to purchase a racing stable. “Electric motorsport is completely new to me, but on a value scale it’s comparable to football. It’s about competition, the will to win, teamwork and positive influence. Sport brings people together. I am delighted and proud that my foundation is an official “Social Impact” partner of the E1 Series. It’s important that we give back as much as we can to the communities that make us champions.”
Steve Aoki, whose father raced offshore powerboats, said full of anticipation: “I’m excited because the boats are flying over the water. There are many factors you can’t control, especially the wind. The fact that the boats are equipped with electric motors makes the whole thing even more exciting. What’s more, I grew up with motorboat racing through my father. Now I can carry on his legacy, even if I don’t steer the boat myself.” In his eyes, the E1 series has a lot in common with Formula 1, “but with a positive ecological impact”, which is crucial for him.
Marc Anthony also puts his heart and soul into it. He didn’t hesitate for a second to acquire a racing team. “Everything spoke in favor of it,” says the American. “I love water, innovation and the ecological dimension of the racing series. It was a great opportunity to get involved in something new.” As a sports fan, the commitment was doubly easy for him. Anthony has been a co-owner of the Miami Dolphins NFL team since 2009.

In the coming year, further acts are to be added on other continents, particularly in North America. “We will also be building more boats,” announces Rodi Basso. There are also ecological considerations behind this: The RaceBirds do not have to be transported halfway around the world for the races.

Championship 2024

February 2-3: Jeddah (Saudi Arabia)
May 11-12: Venice (Italy)
June 1-2: Puerto Banus (Spain)
July 26-27: Monaco
August 23-24: Lake Como (Italy)
November 9-10: (Hong Kong)