By Charles Pemu 
LAGOS—The international offshore powerboat racing series, the E1 Championship, reaches its thrilling climax this evening with the Lagos leg grand finale, featuring a tight battle between the two top contenders: Team Brady and Team Rafa.
The two all-electric powerboat race teams are separated by just one point in the global standings, with Team Brady, managed by former American football star Tom Brady, leading the pack with 135 points. Close behind is Team Rafa, owned by tennis legend Rafael Nadal, with 134 points.
The Lagos event follows a season of high-stakes racing across selected global cities, which debuted last year in Jeddah. The competition features seven other teams, including:
- Team Aoki (owned by DJ Steve Aoki) on 125 points.
- Team Blue Rising (supported by Virat Kohli) on 114 points.
- Team Drogba (supported by Didier Drogba).
- Team AlUla (owned by LeBron James).
- Team Westbrook Racing (funded by Will Smith).
- Team Brazil (funded by the Claure Group).
A major incident preceding the Lagos leg was the high-speed crash in Monaco involving Team Brazil and Team Rafa, which prematurely halted the Championship qualifying round.
Lagos Highlights Sustainability and Innovation
The event promises high excitement, with the hydrofoil electric powerboats—known as RaceBirds—designed to glide at high speeds with zero emissions.
Host Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who led the pre-race formalities, hailed the event as a major milestone, not just for Lagos, but for the entire continent.
“This is a powerful signal that Lagos is ready to lead the global conversation around clean energy, sustainability, and technological innovation in marine transport,” the Governor said.
Mr. Rodi Basso, the CEO of the E1 Series, confirmed that Lagos successfully competed against other global cities to secure the hosting rights, a move expected to open the state to more investment opportunities in international sports and entertainment. Aficionados are eagerly anticipating the final result of this evening’s race.