Celebrities and sport superstars enter the water to compete in E1 Electric powerboat series

Motorsport is a huge business, Formula 1 alone has a turnover of over 2 billion euros per year. However, it is often criticized as being harmful to the environment, and even the glamor that surrounds it does not compensate for this fact.

However, in 2024 there is an alternative that is taking the world of luxury sports by storm. Take part in the E1 Series – the world's first all-electric racing boat championship.

The Checo, Drogba and Miami teams fight on the water in Jeddah -Sam Morris/Spacesuit Media

After its big launch last month to great fanfare in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, it has attracted enormous interest worldwide and is now set to bring excitement to Europe's waterways as the season progresses.

The E1 World Championship is sanctioned by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) – the international governing body for all motorboat activities – and is unique in its vision.

Race and protect

It was founded not only to create a competitive on-water racing platform utilizing the latest electrical technologies, but also to protect and restore both coastal areas and urban waters.

The teams, consisting of one male and one female pilot, will also race at European hotspots. You will drive the RaceBird – the first fully electric racing boat ever.

Each boat uses state-of-the-art hydrofoil technology and can reach speeds of up to 80 km/h.

A star-studded list of owners

Perhaps more interesting than the gender ratio of the pilots, or indeed the boats themselves, are the owners of the teams.

They belong to the likes of Tom Brady, Didier Drogba, Rafael Nadal, Steve Aoki and Marc Anthony.

With such star power on board – they have over 500 million Instagram followers – it's no surprise that the buzz around E1 is only getting bigger.

Superstar DJ Steve Aoki attended the event in Jeddah to support his team Mashael Alobaidan and Saud Ahmed, both from Saudi Arabia – and known for their considerable racing talent.

The story goes on

“Racing is a big part of my family history” – Steve Aoki -Danny Hayward/Spacesuit Media

Racing on water is very much in Aoki’s blood. His father, Rocky, was a professional offshore powerboat racer who was a two-time Benihana Grand Prix champion.

Speaking to Euronews Culture at the launch event, Steve Aoki explained that sport “is a big part of my family history”. It was a big part of my father's life.

“I think that caught on, and when.” [E1] There was a conversation on the table about whether I have time, whether I'm willing to enter X, Y and Z. I was all in,” he added.

However, he laughed at our suggestion that he follow in his father's footsteps and race himself, saying: “I have the opportunity to carry on my father's legacy. I won't drive it…he's crazier than me. I just have something of his drive and ambition – and his courage.”

Also in Jeddah was Aoki's musical colleague and, dare we say, rival – on stage and on the water. Marc Anthony, the best-selling tropical salsa artist of all time, is also no stranger to the world of sports.

Let's go, team! Marc Anthony cheers on Team Miami -Shiv Gohil/Spacesuit Media

Learning by losing

In 2009, he became a minority shareholder in the NFL team Miami Dolphins along with his then-wife Jennifer Lopez.

They've certainly had their ups and downs in the competitive world of sports – something Anthony knows all too well.

“When we first purchased the Miami Dolphins, we knew for the first seven years that we were going to restructure the team. I learned that defeats hurt when you own a team, it burns differently,” he told Euronews Culture.

Did it teach him anything about dealing with loss? Absolutely, he says: “It’s about patience. It's about what you lose. It's about what you learn when you lose. I realized that, right? Every challenge is an opportunity.”

By supporting his team, which was named Miami and not named after himself to honor his legacy, he was able to put these lessons into practice.

“I said [my E1 pilots, Anna Glennon and Erik Stark] No matter what happens, just chalk it up to: “Well, I know what that feels like, and I never want to feel it again.”

The positive attitude paid off in the end, as the Miami team took second place in the overall standings, just behind American football star Tom Brady's pilots.

While Brady was unable to attend the race in person, legendary footballer Didier Drogba was in Jeddah for every part of the race and even spoke to scientists to learn more about the mechanics of the racing boats.

For the Ivorian hero, E1 was a chance to pursue his competitive nature while working towards a more sustainable future for the sport.

“I really wanted to get involved with E1 because it focuses on protecting the oceans and the very real issue of climate change,” he told Euronews Culture in the purpose-built event room on the waterfront of the race site.

“Winning trophies and medals and making money is obviously nice, but in everything I do I want to give something back to the communities. In my opinion, it’s the communities that make us champions in the first place.”

A real team player: Didier Drogba at the event -Danny Hayward/Spacesuit Media

“For people like me – so-called legends – we have to give something back. This is also related to climate change. We have to fight for a better future for the youth and E1 can be a positive step towards a better future.”

How did E1 start?

Rodi Basso, the former managing director of McLaren Motorsport and NASA consultant, is the brains behind E1 as co-founder and managing director.

During the Covid-19 lockdown he teamed up with the founder of Formula E and Extreme E, Alejandro Agagto electrify racing on the water.

With the hurdles cleared, the duo knew it wouldn't be difficult to attract team owners who are at the top of their respective games.

Rodi Basso speaks at the start of the E1 series -Shiv Gohil/Spacesuit Media

“She [the owners] are all at the peak of their careers. Some of them are still involved in entertainment and sports,” Basso told Euronews Culture. “They wanted a project that had a big impact.”

Tennis champion Rafael Nadal is another owner looking to expand his repertoire due to his exceptional athleticism.

“Before Rafa Nadal listened to the E1 project, he spoke to his managers and his team and said, 'When I stop playing, find me a project with a big impact,'” Basso explained.

So far, so good. The only thing Basso is apparently missing is female team owners.

While each pair of drivers consists of a man and a woman, all eight team owners are men.

“This is my biggest disappointment, I can tell you that,” he explained, but maintained: “We tried. We put a lot of effort into it.”

However, all is not lost. While there are currently only 8 teams, there will eventually be up to 12 – and Basso promises there will be at least one female owner when all are eventually announced.

Regardless of the owner, it is clear that he and his team are excited about the future of the young sport.

Steely determination: Tom Chiappe of Team Rafa, pictured in his E1 Race Bird -Sam Morris/Spacesuit Media

“What we are doing with E1 has never been done before – we are entering uncharted waters in our mission to drive change through electrified sports and sports entertainment,” he explained. “By combining innovation and sustainability with celebrity glamor and sports drama, we have created a unique championship designed to engage a global fan base and inspire changes that will positively impact ocean habits and waters in coastal cities.”

This fan base is growing day by day. It's definitely a thrill to watch the talented world-class E1 pilots behind the wheel of the electric racing boats navigate tight and technical courses that look like something out of a science fiction author's future.

While Tom Brady's team claimed victory after two days of tough competition in Jeddah, the others still have a chance to prove themselves.

The event in Saudi Arabia was just the start of the first season – future seasons are already planned.

Before that, however, the teams will head to some of the most famous waterways in Europe and around the world.

All the glitz and glamor you expect: A snapshot from the opening night of the E1 event in Jeddah -Shiv Gohil/Spacesuit Media

On May 11th and 12th they will cruise the famous canals of Venice before heading to Marbella, Geneva, Monaco and Rotterdam, before the season undoubtedly ends spectacularly in Hong Kong on November 10th.

Unsurprisingly, everyone involved – including those of us on the sidelines – are excited about what comes next.

“E1 has landed firmly on the global sports map and our next stop, Venice, will be another massive event,” says Basso – and we couldn’t agree more.