Pilots of the nine teams participating in the first-ever UIM E1 World Championship in Lagos have expressed their readiness for the event this weekend.
The E1 is an all-electric international offshore powerboat racing series which debuted in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia last year, and is competed by nine teams across selected cities in different countries.
The E1 Series has celebrity-backed teams (global icons and sporting legends as ambassadors and team owners).
These include the Steve Aoki Racing Team represented by racers Dani Clos and Mashael Alobaidan; Team AlUla, championed by LeBron James, competes with Rusty Wyatt and Catie Munnings as its pilots; Team Blue Rising, backed by Virat Kohli, features Phelim Kavanagh and Lisa Caussin Battaglia; Team Brady, owned by Tom Brady, includes racers Sam Coleman and Emma Kimiläinen.
Others include Team Brazil, supported by the Claure Group, is represented by Catie Munnings and Timmy Hansen; Team Drogba, fronted by Didier Drogba, has Oban Duncan and Micah Wilkinson as its pilots. Team Miami, powered by Magnus, competes with Erik Stark and Anna Glennon; Team Rafa, owned by Rafael Nadal, is represented by Tom Chiappe and Cristina Lazarraga; and Westbrook Racing, owned by Will Smith, with Sara Price and Lucas Ordóñez as its racers.
Ahead of the E1 Lagos GP, the pilots tested the waters with their RaceBirds on Thursday, before the qualifying on Saturday and the main race on Sunday.
Speaking with Business Post on the sidelines of the testing, pilots for Westbrook Racing, under the banner of the actor Will Smith, the pilot led by Mrs Sara Price and Mr Lucas Ordóñez, expressed their expectations for the main tournament.
“It is exciting to be here in Nigeria, Africa. It is exciting and we look forward to racing here. We heard Lagos is a vibrant place and we hope to bring some of those energies to the race,” Mr Ordóñez said.
“It’s been a tough season, and the competition has been intense. We hold a one-point lead, which shows everyone is getting used to the event. We’ll see how it goes in Lagos. I can’t wait for the race,” Team Brady’s co-pilot Sam Coleman added.
The founder and chief executive of E1, Mr Rodi Basso, said bringing E1 to Africa represents a pivotal moment in their mission to grow electric racing globally.
“Lagos brings incredible energy, creativity and ambition that matches E1’s DNA perfectly. We’re honoured to work with local partners to create a sporting spectacle that helps drive clean innovation while elevating Lagos’ profile as a global hub for sport and sustainable development,” he enthused.
So far, there have been races in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Doha (Qatar), Dubrovnik (Croatia), Lagos Maggiore (Italy), and Monaco. E1 Lagos GP is the penultimate round, with the season finale scheduled for Miami, USA.