The E1 World Championship, the first all-electric powerboat racing series, took to the waters of Lagos from 4–5 October 2025, marking a defining moment in its global expansion. More than a competition, the event signified Africa’s entry into sustainable motorsport and reaffirmed Lagos’s growing reputation as a city embracing innovation and clean technology.
As part of a calendar spanning Europe, the Middle East, and now Africa, Lagos joined elite cities such as Monaco, Venice, and Jeddah in hosting the series. For a city long regarded as West Africa’s commercial hub, the event underscored Lagos’s readiness to engage with the clean-energy transition reshaping global sport.
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This inclusion also aligns with the E1 World Championship’s broader ambition to expand its footprint and influence. The organisation is currently seeking €20 million ($23.55 million) in new funding to support its growth plans, with backing from global icons including Tom Brady, Rafael Nadal, Didier Drogba, and Virat Kohli as it drives toward its 2030 sustainability agenda.
At the centre of the championship is the RaceBird, a 7-metre electric hydrofoil capable of reaching speeds of up to 50 knots (93 km/h). Designed by Norwegian engineer Sophi Horne in collaboration with Victory Marine, the RaceBird exemplifies the innovation driving the series. Unlike conventional powerboats, it lifts above water on foils, reducing drag and creating a near-silent “flying” effect, the hallmark of high-performance, zero-emission technology.
Each team features both male and female pilots, one of E1’s hallmarks of inclusivity in motorsport. Ten teams competed in Lagos, including those owned by Nadal, Brady, Drogba, and Kohli, a lineup that drew global attention to the Marina waterfront.
E1 co-founder Alejandro Agag described Lagos as the “perfect choice” for Africa’s debut, citing the city’s “energy, ambition, and ability to inspire change.” The event also aligned with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s push for environmental sustainability and blue-economy development in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 7 and 13).
Governor Sanwo-Olu called the event “a historic chapter in Africa’s sporting narrative,” highlighting Lagos’s readiness to embrace future-facing technologies. Thousands gathered along the Lagoon, turning Victoria Island and the Marina into a global celebration hub.
Despite brief delays from tropical storms, the race thrilled spectators once underway. Team Brazil, led by Timmy Hansen and Leva Millere-Hagin, clinched their first win of the 2025 season with 38 points. Team Blue Rising, owned by Kohli, finished second with 30 points, while Team Drogba placed third with 28 points.
In the overall standings, Team Brady leads the championship with 154 points, followed by Team Rafa (151) and Blue Rising (145), setting the stage for a dramatic season finale.
More Than a Race
Hosting the E1 Championship carried wider economic and environmental significance. Lagos, with a Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) GDP exceeding $259 billion as of early 2025, aims to position itself as a hub for the blue economy, spanning maritime transport, renewable energy, and coastal tourism.
The E1 event served as a model for eco-sporting initiatives aligning with these ambitions. Backed by clean-energy investors, the championship targets a €500 million valuation by 2030 and expansion to at least 15 global locations. Its Lagos debut strengthens Africa’s credentials in marine innovation, creating opportunities for youth engagement, tourism, and technology transfer.
Still, environmental challenges persist. Lagos’s lagoon system faces pollution from urban runoff and plastic waste. Organisers, in partnership with local authorities, pledged to support marine clean-up projects and awareness campaigns on renewable marine technology to preserve the lagoon’s ecosystem.
Riding the Current into the Future
As Team Brazil lifted their trophy under the Lagos sunset, the applause went beyond victory. It celebrated Africa’s emergence on a new sporting frontier, where speed meets sustainability and innovation flows as freely as the tides.
For Lagos, hosting the E1 Championship was more than staging a race; it was embracing a vision. It signalled that African cities can stand at the crossroads of technology, sport, and environmental responsibility. The E1 World Championship’s African debut was not just a spectacle; it was a statement that Africa is ready to chart its course in the global clean-energy era.
