First bragging rights to Tom Brady at first-ever UIM E1 World Championship in Jeddah
by E1 Series 16 Feb 2024 16:38 GMT
First bragging rights to Tom Brady at first-ever UIM E1 World Championship in Jeddah © e1series.com
The final day of the UIM E1 World Championship in Jeddah concluded with a convincing win by NFL superstar Tom Brady's racing team, after two days of tense competition in front of thousands of fans on the Red Sea.
The world's first all-electric raceboat championship saw eight teams battle it out under the Jeddah sunshine in high-octane racing, with speeds in excess of 50 knots (92kph / 57 mph), captivating fans as teams competed for the top podium finish.
Hailing from Britain and Finland, Team Brady pilots Sam Coleman and Emma Kimiläinen staged an impressive comeback to beat day one leaders Team Miami, owned by singer-songwriter Marc Anthony. The winning margin was almost 20 seconds with a Team Brady time of 6.58.51.
Cricket superstar Virat Kohli's Team Blue Rising took third place on the podium.
Season one will continue in some of the most breathtaking coastal cities across the world, with the next stop Venice on 11 and 12 May and the series culminating in a Race to Hong Kong on 9 and 10 November.
Sam Coleman and Emma Kimiläinen said that they are "delighted" to take home the top spot from the first ever E1 event.
"We've already had a message through from Tom and he's super happy with the win. Both Sam and I are so incredibly proud to represent Tom and we're pleased we were able to make history at E1's inaugural race." - Emma Kimiläinen.
"The past two days of competition have surpassed all expectations and the passion, commitment and spirit shown by all of the team pilots has been incredible. E1 has firmly landed on the global sporting map, and our next stop Venice is set to be another tremendous event. Huge congratulations to Team Brady for taking home the first ever E1 Championship trophy." - Rodi Basso, CEO & Co-founder of E1.
"Fantastic. Incredible. Amazing. What a weekend of powerboat racing with packed out crowds and close competition between eight amazing racing teams." - Alejandro Agag, Chairman and co-founder of E1.
Sam Coleman was introduced to powerboat racing in 2013 by his sister Daisy Coleman. The Welshman has gone on to become a house-hold name in the P1 SuperStock class where he has won four World Championships.
Emma Kimiläinen is a Finnish racing driver who has been competing on the professional motor racing circuit since 2005. Emma has competed in various series such as the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship and W Series, where she finished 5th in her debut season in 2019. Her best W Series finish came in the 2021 season, claiming a place on the podium, finishing 3rd place.
The spectacle of the UIM E1 World Championship will touchdown this May in Venice - bringing the innovation of electrified racing to the historic waterways of the City of Water.
Full time results:
1. Team Brady - 6.58.518
2. Team Miami powered by Magnus - 7.17.268
3. Team Blue Rising - 7.43.835
4. Team Rafa - 7.51.941