E1 Series: Formula One-On-The-Water
Tom Brady, Will Smith and Rafael Nadal each have their own E1 team. Find out more about e-racing-on-water.
August 13, 2024
Speedboat Racing: Welcome to the Future
E1 is electric boating with skates on. Over the past few years, the E1 Series has raised its profile, and celebrities are clamoring to get behind the helm.
The electric private boating segment is largely dominated by day cruising boats, runabouts, and tenders, with just a handful of long-distance cruisers. E1 raises awareness about the capabilities of electric propulsion technology to accelerate the adoption of clean technology in a quest to protect the ocean.
Above: Team Brady. Behind the helm are professional motorsport racing drivers and powerboat champions. Image via E1/Marta Rovatti Studihrad.
When full throttle, RaceBirds achieve top speeds of 50 knots (58 mph) through hydrofoil technology pioneered by SeaBird Technologies in collaboration with SailGP racing, underscoring that hedonism and sustainability are not mutually exclusive.
The lairy fleet of RaceBirds has taken E1 racing to Monaco, Venice, Geneva, and Jeddah by storm and has yet to run at Rotterdam and Hong Kong. Prolific stars, including American footballer Tom Brady, soccer star Didier Drogba, Formula One motor racing driver Sergio Perez, and Hollywood actor Will Smith, have all invested in a racing team, raising the electric speedboat race series profile.
Above: E1 speedboat racing. Image via E1/Shiv-Gohil.
Go-Fast Electric Propulsion: The Story So Far
Pilots behind the helm of E1 are founder Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of EXTREME E, Founder and Chairman of FiA Formula E & E1 Series, and Rodi Basso, CEO of the E1 Series.
The series was strategically launched in the Championship in the Principality in 2020, and in 2021, the RaceBird showboat debuted to the world at the Yacht Club de Monaco.
Following this, the founders organized a series of sustainability and engineering workshops and thought leadership panels in Monaco, including working with the Monaco Energy Challenge and running a demo alongside the Formula E Monaco e-Prix.
This year, E1 has gained even more momentum. Last week's E1 Monaco race weekend debut was the cherry on top, putting E1 firmly on the e-racing map. HSH Prince Albert, an advocate for ocean conservation, came to show his support for the e-propulsion movement.
Above: A racebird darting through the water using hydrofoiling technology. Image via E1/Marta Rovatti Studihrad.
How Do RaceBirds Achieve Lightning-Fast Speeds?
The hull shape is reminiscent of the iconic Norris brothers racing car, Bluebird, with a low hydrodynamic profile. Hydrofoiling technology enables pilots to glide above the water, reducing drag and minimizing disruption to the water beneath the helm.
Who Owns A Racebird?
Didier Drogba (Team Drogba) – Footballer
Marc Anthony (Team Miami) – Singer
Marcelo Claure (Team Brazil) – Serial Entrepreneur
Rafael Nadal (Team Rafa) – 22-time Grand Slam tennis champion
Sergio Perez (Sergio Perez E1 Team) – Red Bull Formula 1 driver
Steve Aoki (Aoki Racing Team) – World-renowned DJ
Tom Brady (Team Brady) – American Footballer, Seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback
Virat Kohli (Team Blue Rising) – World-class cricketer
Will Smith (Westbrook Racing) – Hollywood actor
Above: Team Brady celebrating in the water. Image via Shiv Gohil.
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