Teams owners Tom Brady, Will Smith and Didier Drogba prepare for E1 Jeddah Grand Prix

The 2025 E1 Jeddah GP will take place on Jan. 24-25 (Supplied)
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  • The UIM E1 World Championship presented by PIF, the world’s only all-electric racing boat championship, starts its second season Jan. 24-25
  • 2024 winner Team Brady prepare to defend crown against Team Drogba, Team Rafa and Racing Team Aoki

JEDDAH: Just under a week remains for Tom Brady, Will Smith, Didier Drogba, Virat Kohli and a host of other celebrity owners to prepare their teams for this season’s UIM E1 World Championship presented by PIF, which begins with the Jeddah GP.

The all-electric RaceBird boats took to the Red Sea waters off Jeddah for the E1 Championship’s global debut in February 2024, and the season concluded with Team Brady crowned the 2024 Champions of the Water.

Qualifying for the 2025 E1 Jeddah GP takes place on Friday, Jan. 24, and is followed on Saturday by the main race, presented in partnership with the Kingdom’s Ministry of Sport and the Saudi Water Sports and Diving Federation.

Prince Sultan bin Fahd bin Salman, president of the SWSDF, said: “For owners, pilots, organizers and fans, the countdown is on for the start of what will be a fascinating UIM E1 World Championship presented by PIF at the Jeddah GP.

“This is where relentless innovation, marine preservation, and exhilarating races all come together, unveiling a new season for the Championship.

“In such a spectacular setting, this popular event highlights Ƶ’s commitment to pioneering sustainable sports and furthering its reputation as a global hub for innovation and eco-tourism.”

The teams, each featuring male and female pilots sharing driving duties, are owned by celebrities from the world of sports and entertainment.

They include Smith (Westbrook Racing), Marc Anthony (Team Miami powered by Magnus), Steve Aoki (Racing Team Aoki), Brady (Team Brady), Kohli (Team Blue Rising), Drogba (Team Drogba), Rafael Nadal (Team Rafa) and Marcelo Claure (Team Brazil by Claure).

In its first season, E1 races took place in Venice, Monaco, Puerto Banus and Lake Como.