Global sports icons are once again taking their rivalries beyond the arena and onto the water as the UIM E1 World Championship returns for its third season in 2026.
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Billed as the world’s first all-electric powerboat championship, the E1 paddock reads like a who’s who of global superstars, with team owners including Rafael Nadal, LeBron James, Tom Brady, Didier Drogba, Virat Kohli and Will Smith.
As the 2026 campaign gets underway at the E1 Series Jeddah on January 23-24, live on SPOTV NOW, here’s a closer look at the star-studded teams lining up on the grid.
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Team Brady
Owner: Tom Brady | Drivers: Sam Coleman & Emma Kimilainen
Like their seven-time Super Bowl-winning owner on an American football field, Team Brady have been dominant on the water, having secured back-to-back E1 championships. With them retaining the successful pairing of Coleman and Kimilainen, they head into 2026 as the clear favourites to extend their reign.
Team Rafa
Owner: Rafael Nadal | Drivers: Tom Chiappe & Cris Lazarraga
Few names command respect like the King of Clay, and his presence remains one of E1’s cornerstones. Last season, the Spanish outfit posed the strongest challenge to Team Brady’s throne, finishing just 11 points adrift in the final standings thanks to their Doha win and three second-place finishes.
Team Blue Rising
Owner: Virat Kohli | Drivers: TBC
India’s most recognisable sporting figure was among the first global stars to bring his enormous reach to E1. After a learning-focused debut campaign in 2024, the Kohli-backed team claimed their maiden victory in Monaco and finished third overall in 2025. Backed by that success, the team will surely enter the new season with heightened expectations despite not having confirmed their driver line-up yet.
Aoki Racing Team
Owner: Steve Aoki | Drivers: Dani Clos & Sara Misir
With the support of the Grammy-nominated DJ and producer, the team have become one of the paddock’s most recognisable brands. In 2025, they started the season strongly with two wins from the first three races to position themselves as early title contenders, but unfortunately finished fourth overall in the end.
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Team AlUla
Owner: LeBron James | Drivers: Rusty Wyatt & Nerea Marti
One of the most influential athletes of his generation, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar entered E1 ownership in 2025. However, it proved to be a challenging debut season for Team AlUla, who managed just one top-three finish, coming in Dubrovnik, and were unable to find their footing in the championship.
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Team Drogba Global Africa
Owner: Didier Drogba | Drivers: TBC
Results were modest for the former Chelsea and Ivory Coast star’s team across their first two seasons, but they did secure a podium finish at their home race in Lagos in 2025. That breakthrough appears to have only raised expectations, with Drogba planning to unveil a new driver line-up for the 2026 campaign.
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Team Miami
Owner: Marc Anthony | Drivers: Timmy Hansen & Patricia Pita Gago
After a difficult 2025 campaign that saw them finish ninth overall, the multi-Grammy Award-winning artist’s team underwent significant restructuring. That included replacing pilots Erik Stark and Anna Glennon, as well as appointing Steve Curtis as team principal.
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Westbrook Racing
Owner: Will Smith | Drivers: Lucas Ordonez & Sara Price
Despite a strong debut season in 2024, Westbrook Racing were unable to carry that momentum into 2025 and failed to secure a single podium. Still, they retain Ordonez, who delivered the team’s maiden victory at Lake Como in 2024, and Price, the first American driver to win a Dakar stage.
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Team Monaco
Owners: Maxime Nocher & Chris Taylor | Drivers: Maxime Nocher & Oban Duncan
Representing the Principality and its rich motorsport heritage, Team Monaco make their E1 debut in 2026. The team will be led by 11-time kitefoil world champion Nocher and former Team Drogba pilot Duncan.
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Sierra Racing Club
Owner: Kerem Ozman | Drivers: TBC
The other new addition to the 2026 grid, Sierra Racing Club remain an unknown quantity, with further details on drivers and team structure yet to be announced at the time of writing.
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