The first-ever all-electric raceboat championship in history, the UIM E1 World Championship, has seen the formation of a new team by Hollywood actor, musician, and film producer Will Smith. In the first season of E1, Westbrook Racing—named after Smith’s worldwide entertainment company—is scheduled to compete.
This weekend, from May 11–12, the E1 Venice GP will mark the series’ second race in its first season. The team will be competing alongside the rest of the fleet.
In the Championship, nine teams compete in thrilling races at renowned international locations including Hong Kong, Monaco, and Jeddah for the title of “Champions of the Water.”
The NFL legend Tom Brady, tennis great Rafael Nadal, international DJ Steve Aoki, football superstar Didier Drogba, philanthropist and businessman Marcelo Claure, star cricketer Virat Kohli, F1 hero Sergio Perez, and Grammy Award-winning musician Marc Anthony are among the impressive group of team owners in the Championship that the actor has joined by investing in an E1 team.
Smith’s love of electric and competitive sports and E1’s goal of accelerating sustainability in marine mobility are matched by the addition of the new squad. Smith, who has over 265 million social media followers, will make use of his extensive reach to advance the field of electric sports and mobility as well as the common objective of building a more sustainable future.
Two globally renowned celebrities in their respective disciplines will lead Westbrook Racing on the sea.Sara Price, a professional racer and stuntwoman who has won 17 national motocross championships and participated in Extreme E, the X Games, and the Dakar Rally, joins the pioneering Lucas Ordoñez, who entered professional racing from the virtual world as a GT Academy winner before racing at Le Mans five times, as well as SuperGT and Formula 3.
Westbrook Racing’s team owner, Will Smith, stated: “As a racing enthusiast, the chance to join the E1 fleet and contribute to achieving its wider goal impressed me greatly. The whole Westbrook crew is genuinely thrilled to participate in this race with Westbrook Racing and to be a part of such an incredible group.
Smith is announcing the team in association with Westbrook Inc., the media and business he established in 2019 alongside Miguel Melendez, Ko Yada, and wife Jada Pinkett Smith. Westbrook Inc. curates and produces content for all major platforms, ranging from short and mid-form digital to traditional television and motion pictures, with an emphasis on enabling artists to tell stories that connect the world. Since its founding, the company has received multiple awards and nominations in the fields of marketing, television, and film. The company is shifting its focus from screens to water with this project.
“We are looking forward to working with E1 co-founders- Rodi Basso and Alejandro Agag – and our investment partners – Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio, Alshair Fiyaz and Tommaso Chiabra – to launch Westbrook Racing and to bring entertainment to the electrification of motor sports.” explains Kosaku Yada, CEO of Westbrook Inc.
Co-founder and CEO of E1, Rodi Basso, explained: “Will Smith is just one of the most well-known names in the world.” We are really interested to see how this translates to boat racing because he has demonstrated throughout his career that he is a born winner.
“He’s also time and again proven himself as an inspirational force for good in a multitude of ways. Together, we are looking forward to pursuing our joint ambition to progress the electrification of sport and the positive effect this will have on the wider marine industry.”
Co-founder and chairman of E1, Alejandro Agag, declared: “E1 is reaching unprecedented levels in the celebrity ownership of sports teams.”
“Will is smart businessman, life-long sports fan, and champion of electric marine mobility, so we’re delighted to bring Westbrook Racing onboard to be part of our trailblazing Championship.”
Alshair Fiyaz, who successfully transformed Bellakvarter in Copenhagen into one of Scandinavia´s largest sustainability led green-powered urban developments, is impressed by E1 team´s focus on social responsibility and environmental impact: “I have been involved in competitive sports my entire life”, says Fiyaz. “When the opportunity arose to enter another team, there was no doubt in my mind about my support. The E1 series highlights an important message about the potential of electric power in marine transportation. The Blue Impact initiative by E1 series addresses coastal waste management challenges in some of the most iconic urban locations in the world, including Venice and Monaco”.
Topics #New UIM E1 #Will Smith #World Championship Team
