Amanze Chinonye
Lagos cemented its place on the global motorsport stage on Sunday as Team Brazil (Claure Group) emerged winner of the E1 Lagos Grand Prix, the continent’s first-ever electric powerboat race.
The event, held at the Lagos Marina waterfront, drew international teams, global attention, and enthusiastic local crowds underscoring Nigeria’s growing capacity to host world-class, environmentally sustainable sporting events.
Presented by FirstBank in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, the E1 Lagos GP brought global attention to the city’s waterfront, transforming the Lagos Marina into a vibrant arena of speed, technology, and spectacle. The event served as the penultimate round of the 2025 E1 World Championship a series that has previously made stops in iconic cities such as Jeddah, Venice, and Monaco.
Racing under heavy tropical rain, Team Brazil’s pilot Timmy Hansen delivered a commanding performance to secure the team’s first win of the season, finishing ahead of Team Blue Rising in second place and Team Drogba Global Africa in third.
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Earlier in qualifying, Team Brazil had claimed pole position, while Team Rafa, owned by tennis legend Rafael Nadal, secured second briefly regaining the overall championship lead from Team Brady, owned by NFL star Tom Brady.
By the end of the Lagos race, updated standings from the E1 Series showed Team Brady maintaining the top spot with 154 points, narrowly ahead of Team Rafa at 151 points, followed by Blue Rising (145 points) and Aoki Racing (134 points).
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who attended the grand finale, described the event as “a defining moment for Lagos and for Africa,” commending the E1 organizers for their commitment to sustainability and innovation.
“This race represents more than competition it’s about the confidence of a continent and the capacity of Lagos to engage with the world through technology and creativity,” the governor said.
The Lagos GP drew enthusiastic crowds, blending sport and celebration. Among the standout participants was Team Drogba Global Africa, owned by football legend Didier Drogba, whose team earned a podium finish and was cheered by fans as a symbol of African pride.
The E1 Championship, founded by Alejandro Agag – the visionary behind Formula E featured zero-emission electric hydrofoil boats, known as RaceBirds, that glide above the water surface to reduce drag and enhance performance. The Lagos event reinforced E1’s mission to promote clean energy, marine innovation, and coastal conservation through sustainable motorsport.
Organizers have announced plans to expand the series from nine to twelve teams and increase the number of races from seven to fifteen in the coming years, targeting a €500 million valuation by 2030.
Despite rain delays and challenging conditions, the Lagos GP concluded successfully and was widely hailed as a testament to Nigeria’s ability to deliver complex, globally broadcast sporting events.
“This was a powerful statement that Africa is not a spectator in global innovation,” said an E1 official after the race. “Lagos has set the standard for what the continent can achieve.”
With the Lagos leg concluded, the focus now shifts to the season’s final race, where the leading teams Brady, Rafa, and Brazil will compete for the 2025 championship crown.
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