Lagos made history last weekend, hosting Africa’s first-ever round of the UIM E1 World Championship—the world’s premier all-electric powerboat series—on Lagos Lagoon. In front of an energised waterfront crowd, Team Brazil (by Claure Group) powered to victory at the E1 Lagos GP presented by FirstBank, sealing their maiden win in the championship and lighting up the city’s waters with a showcase of speed, innovation, and sustainability.
Piloted by Timmy Hansen—named PIF Pilot of the Race—and Ieva Millere-Hagin, Team Brazil converted pole position into a composed triumph after a tropical storm delayed proceedings. They fended off Team Blue Rising (co-owned by Virat Kohli) and Team Drogba Global Africa to top the podium, in a result that tightens the overall title race heading into the season finale in Miami.
For Lagos, the event was about more than medals. The E1 Series is often described as “Formula One of the Sea,” featuring futuristic RaceBird hydrofoil boats that lift above the water to reduce drag, wake, and noise. These single-seater electric craft can reach speeds up to ~50 knots, offering high drama with a far lower environmental footprint than traditional powerboating. Organisers pair the racing with marine restoration and conservation initiatives in host cities, aligning the spectacle with tangible sustainability goals.
The Lagos stop also underscored E1’s growing star power and commercial momentum. The series counts celebrity team owners including Tom Brady, Rafael Nadal, Will Smith, Didier Drogba and LeBron James, helping to bring mainstream attention to a new form of clean-tech sport. Lagos, selected for its energy, technology ecosystem, and tourism potential, marked E1’s first African event as the championship expands to new markets. Reuters reports the series aims to grow from nine to 12 teams and increase race weekends from seven to 15, while targeting additional investment to scale its global footprint.
Hosting duties were a point of pride for the city and state. The weekend festival atmosphere on Victoria Island and across the lagoon showcased Lagos as a forward-looking hub ready to embrace innovative global partnerships. With the E1 Lagos GP now in the books, Lagos joins an elite roster of hosts—from Monaco to Doha—that have staged this next-generation motorsport.
Team Brazil’s victory also adds a fresh story to a championship battle that’s been see-sawing between high-profile entrants. After Lagos, Team Brady and Team Rafa continue their duel for the overall lead, with the final showdown set for Miami next month. For Team Brazil, owned by entrepreneur Marcelo Claure, the Lagos win validates months of development and cohesion for a squad built around sustainability and elite performance.
If the goal of E1 is to prove that high-octane sport and clean propulsion can coexist, Lagos delivered the memo. The combination of zero-emission raceboats, hydrofoil engineering, and celebrity-backed teams created a globally watched moment—one that resonated with local fans and positioned Lagos at the heart of a new sports-technology narrative. As E1’s founder and CEO Rodi Basso put it after the chequered flag, the weekend was a landmark for Africa and a step toward cleaner marine mobility for cities worldwide.
