The inaugural season of the pioneering electric boat racing league commenced with thrilling action on Friday and Saturday, as the first eight teams of the UIM E1 Championship Series navigated the waters of the Red Sea in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Marc Anthony’s Team Miami secured pole position on Saturday, but the podium also featured two other renowned teams. Here are the final results of the E1 Championship.
The UIM E1 Series has undergone a multi-year journey, with its founders working tirelessly to bring it to fruition. Electrek has closely followed the league’s development, and on Saturday, we eagerly tuned in to witness the electric boat racing rounds live on CBS Sports Network.
Friday’s qualifying races involved time trials to determine the pole position for the semi-finals. Team Miami, led by Marc Anthony, clocked the fastest time, earning them one point towards their season total in the championship in Hong Kong.
On Saturday, the initial eight E1 teams were divided into two separate semi-final rounds, each comprising four teams. In these rounds, both a male and a female pilot from each team raced twice. The cumulative points from each team determined the top two teams in each semi-final, earning them a coveted spot in the Super Final. This final race on the podium carried maximum points towards the championship.
The Super Final featured two runs, allowing both pilots from each team an opportunity to compete. A championship bonus point was awarded to the team with the fastest overall lap. Meanwhile, the bottom four teams engaged in what E1 refers to as the “place race,” competing for remaining points. The point system breakdown is contingent on the results of each E1 Grand Prix event.
In E1’s inaugural Grand Prix, Team Brady secured the top spot with Rafa claiming the second position.
The highly anticipated Super Final featured teams owned by notable figures, including Team Brady, Team Rafa, Team Miami, and Blue Rising, owned by cricket sensation Virat Kohli.
Following the initial Super Final race, Team Rafa initially led, trailed by Team Miami and Team Brady. The second Super Final witnessed intense competition, with Team Rafa facing visibility challenges due to spray, compelling pilot Cris Lazarraga to take a shortcut, resulting in a penalty. The team had to decide between a 30-second penalty or an additional “long lap,” a penalty rarely incurred in a single race.
With Team Rafa penalized, Team Brady seized the opportunity and maintained their lead throughout the second race. Sam Coleman, alongside pilot Emma Kimilainen’s third-place finish in the first race, propelled Tom Brady’s team to victory in the inaugural E1 GP.
The current UIM E1 Championship standings following the Jeddah GP are as follows:
| Team | Points |
|---|---|
| Team Brady | 20 |
| Team Miami | 17 |
| Team Rafa | 14 |
| Team Blue Rising | 10 |
| Sergio Perez E1 Team | 8 |
| Team Drogba | 5 |
| Aoki Racing Team | 3 |
| Team Brazil | 1 |
The upcoming E1 GP is scheduled to take place in Venice, Italy, on May 11-12.