E1 electric speedboat racing comes to Africa, sets up exciting year end finale

It was a weekend of firsts and number ones in Lagos, Nigeria October 4 and 5: The world’s first all-electric raceboat championship came to Africa for the first time, one point separated the E1 Series’ top teams going into the race, and another team grabbed their first ever victory by the end of the historic weekend. It all sets up a great finish to the season in a few weeks.

The E1 Series features 9 teams owned by profile figures in sport, entertainment and business. People like NFL GOAT Tom Brady, tennis legend Rafael Nadal, Will Smith from the world of movies and TV, DJ Steve Aoki and Marc Anthony from music and Africa’s own Didier Drogba, 4-time Premier League Winner and 2-time African Footballer of the Year.

Top speed 58 mph / 93 kph

Each team has a male and female pilot, but they do not race in separate categories. At the beginning of a race weekend the teams decide which of their pilots they want to start the first Qualifying Race and they then alternate through the rest of the rounds: Group Race, Raceoff, Place Race and Finals.

It is a one-design competition, where all teams use the 7 metre (23 ft) ‘Seabird’ hydroplaning electric boat with a cupped wing extending from either side of the hull. It is powered by Mercury Racing’s 150kW (≈ 200 hp) electric outboard engine and Kreisel high-capacity batteries with 35 kiloWatt hours of energy storage. Top speed is about 58 mph (≈ 50 kt, 93 kmph).

The E1 Series is not only about fast boats though. Like all top level championships it is a testing ground for new technologies, and as an all-electric event held on coastal waters, it also means E1 has a mission.

Dedicated to protecting and restoring coastal waters

From the E1 website:

“E1 is dedicated to protecting and restoring our coastal waters and ecosystems through cutting-edge clean technologies and proactive aquatic regeneration. We are committed to ensuring these vital resources thrive for current and future generations.

By showcasing the synergy between cutting-edge clean technologies, proactive aquatic regeneration, and sustainable practices, we demonstrate how innovation in sports can inspire collective action to protect and restore our oceans.”

One of their initiatives is the Blue Impact Programme, in which E1 works with local communities to restore and regenerate coastal areas and marine ecosystems worldwide through a series of sustained projects. This takes on particular importance in Lagos, where the 30 km (18 mi.) lagoon that winds through the city and connects it to the Port of Guinea is under increasing environmental stress from the regional population of more than 20 million people.

Thousands of people crowded the banks of that lagoon this past weekend to view the races. Afrobeat rhythms pulsed through the air to provide a festival atmosphere with the futuristic Racebirds ‘flying’ by on the waters.

Second last stop on E1 Series calendar

The Lagos race is the sixth of seven stops in the 2025 Championship Series, the previous events being held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Doha, Qatar; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Lake Maggiore, Italy; and Monaco. The Series winds up November 7 and 8 in Miami, Florida – which will be the first ever races in U.S. waters.

See Plugboats coverage of all races in the E1 Series 2025 Championship:
Jeddah  Doha  Dubrovnik  Maggiore  Monaco Miami

Coming into the weekend only one point separated the top two teams: Team Brady had amassed 135 points, closely pursued by Team Rafa with 134. Just behind them were Team Aoki with 125, and Team Blue Rising (owned by India’s national cricketing hero Virat Kohli) with 114. The first place team after each event receives 38 points, so with only Lagos and the Miami finale remaining, there was some speculation that this inaugural African race might be the deciding event of the season.

The first day of an E1 Series event starts with timed qualifying laps by all of the pilots to determine the team pole positions for a Qualifying Race. The results of that race then determine pole positions for Saturday’s Group Round.

Team Brazil, owned by international entrepreneur Marcelo Claure, secured the top qualifying spot ahead of Team Rafa and Aoki Racing Team. With three bonus points for first, two for second and one for third, those two Rafa points saw them skip over Team Brady by a single point to reclaim the Championship lead they had surrendered at Monaco in Late July.

Sunday races delayed by storm conditions

To make things even more tense, it was technical difficulties that had prevented the Brady team from challenging for Saturday pole position and if they could not be resolved in the next day’s races it set up the possibility of Brady not only losing the lead but falling back into the middle of the pack.

On Sunday morning a tropical storm moved into the city, delaying the races and whipping up the waters. After it cleared the weather was still uncertain enough to cause changing water conditions from race to race – sometimes choppy, sometimes calm. 

When the Racebirds did take flight it was evident that Team Brazil pilots Timmy Hansen and newcomer Ieva Millere-Hagin (replacing Marit Stromoy) had the best handle on the variables, and their teamwork and composure took them through the Group Races and Finals and on to the top of the podium. Hansen’s drive earned him the PIF Pilot of the Race award.

It was a convincing win, with the most excitement coming from the battle behind them. Team Drogba Global Africa put in an excellent showing in front of the home crowd, but came in third, fended off by Team Blue Rising, who had their first ever E1 Series win in Monaco and seemed to ride that momentum to a second place in Lagos. Team Brady was able to sort out their technical troubles and come home in the number four spot.

While it was a great win and show for teams Brazil and Drogba, they had been too far down in the championship standings to get themselves into the top four going into Miami. That top four are extremely close: Team Brady’s 19 points for finishing fourth at Lagos allowed them to cling to the overall top spot with 154 total points. Only 3 points behind them is Team Rafa, with Team Blue Rising only 6 back of that at 145.

Another 11 points back (20 out of the lead) is Team Aoki, but they cannot be counted out. They crossed the line a disappointing seventh place in Lagos, but in the first five races of this E1 Series championships they had two firsts, two seconds and a third. Like any great sports event, it will all come down to the wire November 6 and 7.

Wrapping up the Lago event, E1 Series CEO Rodi Basso said “The warm welcome we have received in Lagos has been incredible and these races will further help position the metropolis as a growing hub for international sporting events while demonstrating the city’s commitment to green innovation for regional waterways. Our vision is to build a legacy here, inspiring new generations of fans and paving the way for cleaner marine mobility. This weekend’s racing was electric in every sense.”

E1 Series website
View the E1 YouTube streams of all races How to watch E1 Live in your region

2025 E1 Championship: Standings after Race 6, Lagos