Celebrity team owners, desirable race locations, and the latest in all-electric marine technology are only a few elements that make up the E1 Series.
As the world’s first and only all-electric race boat championship sanctioned by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), the series uses fully electric boats, referred to as RaceBirds. The boats are powered by 35kWh batteries, producing 200bhp and propelling them to speeds of over 50 knots an hour.
At the heart of it all lies Blue Impact, the philosophy around which the E1 Series is built. This noble cause encompasses sustainability and marine conservation, focusing on restoring coastal waters and ecosystems for future generations. By promoting electric mobility, the E1 Series aims to accelerate the use of sustainable energy — not only in nautical racing but also across the wider boating industry.
The PIF partnership
As one of the top sovereign wealth funds in the world, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is the sole principal partner of the E1 Series. This is part of a multi-year partnership deal where PIF also supports Formula E auto racing and Extreme E off-road SUV racing.
The idea behind it is to help facilitate and accelerate the delivery of technological innovation and sustainable technology education in electric motorsports.
In a previous statement, Mohamed AlSayyad, head of Corporate Brand at PIF, said: “At PIF, we believe in the power of partnerships, investing in innovative collaborations as part of our focus on ‘Investing in Better.’ These partnerships will enhance the quality of life for people, provide opportunities for the communities we serve, and help continue our work as a catalyst for transformation.”
With that in mind, I headed to the principality of Monaco to witness the E1 Series in person.
The sovereign city-state is one of the world’s wealthiest. The semi-enclave lies on the shores of the Mediterranean and covers an area of just over 2km2. Although Monte-Carlo might be the most famous, there are, in fact, seven regions in the principality and just under 39,000 residents. For over 700 years, the House of Grimaldi has ruled Monaco, with HSH Prince Albert II as the current ruler.
The center of the action is ‘Yacht Club de Monaco.’ The location holds special significance as the E1 Series officially launched here back in September 2020.
The teams, race and format
In total, there are nine teams owned by such names as Rafael Nadal, Didier Drogba, Tom Brady, Marc Anthony, Sergio Perez, Will Smith, and Steve Aoki, among others. The race calendar is also as glamorous as the team owners, with locations including Jeddah, Venice, Puerto Banús, Monaco, and Lake Como.
Each team has a male and a female pilot, and a typical race weekend consists of two days.
The first day is for testing and practice, plus the qualifying, which takes the format of head-to-head time trials. Meanwhile, the second day is the race day which features four quarterfinals followed by two semi-finals.
Finally, the four RaceBirds compete in a fiercely competitive battle to be crowned the winner.
The RaceBirds
The E1 Series truly revolutionizes boat racing with all-electric RaceBirds that are not only fast and exciting. However, it also prioritizes sustainability and innovation.
The vessels use cutting-edge technology and ergonomic design. The idea is for the technology to filter through to commercial use and influence the future of sustainable marine transportation.
The sport’s highly competitive nature is as much about precision as it is about speed. Powered by Mercury Racing’s all-electric outboard engines that produce 200 bhp (150 kW), these boats can hit speeds of 50 knots an hour. In addition, the 35kWh batteries that power the vessels come from Kreisel’s high-capacity units. At speed, the RaceBirds ‘foil’ over the water with minimal friction and waves.
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A word from the CEO
Over the weekend, I also had the opportunity to speak with Rodi Basso, the CEO of E1. He told me that since the business launched, thanks to some essential funding from PIF, they have come a long way.
The five-year plan is to have 12 teams and 15 race locations across the globe. The business now has several revenue streams, including fees the teams pay and sponsorships, which he expects will grow considerably.
Basso also emphasized the collaborative vision of the E1 Series as revolutionizing the future of marine mobility while keeping it clean wherever the race might take them. The sport also places great importance on fostering technology. After all, this native of Napoli is an aerospace engineer and former Formula One engineer, who is the brains behind the RaceBirds.
The race weekend in Monaco concluded with Team Brady pilots Sam Coleman and Emma Kimiläinen coming out victorious. Team Drogba secured second place, marking their first podium of the season. Meanwhile, Team Rafa placed third.
The glamorous event ended with a trophy ceremony where HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco honored the proceedings.
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