Virat Kohli’s Team Blue Rising celebrated their first E1 race win in Monaco, watched by a high-profile group of team owners including LeBron James, Tom Brady, Marc Anthony, Didier Drogba, Rafael Nadal and Marcel Claure. The iconic setting of the Principality provided the perfect stage for a thrilling day of racing in the UIM E1 World Championship presented by PIF — the world’s first all-electric raceboat series.
After a series of tight battles on the water, Team Blue Rising emerged victorious, finishing ahead of Team Brady in second and Claure Group’s Team Brazil in third. The win marked a breakthrough for Blue Rising, who now sit fourth in the overall standings on 114 points.
Despite missing out on the top spot in Monaco, defending champions Team Brady moved back to the top of the Championship table, narrowly ahead of Team Rafa by a single point. With Aoki Racing just nine points further back, the title fight remains wide open.
The presence of global sports icons added to the energy and excitement of the event. A friendly but growing rivalry continues to develop between team owners Tom Brady, LeBron James, Rafael Nadal, and Didier Drogba, all of whom were on site to support their teams.
Pilots John Peeters — who was named PIF Pilot of the Race — and Sara Misir delivered a standout performance in the Finals, navigating tricky conditions to bring home the trophy. UIM President, Dr. Raffaele Chiulli and E1 founder and Chairman Alejandro Agag presented the awards during the podium ceremony.
The weekend began with high drama on Friday when Team Rafa suffered a major crash during qualifying, causing a red flag and bringing the session to an early close. Fortunately, French pilot Tom Chiappe escaped unhurt and returned to compete on Saturday. Nadal later described the incident as “scary” from his view on the shore.
“This was a landmark moment for Virat, Adi, John, Sara, and the entire Blue Rising team,” said E1 CEO and Founder Rodi Basso. “Monaco delivered one of the most exciting races we’ve seen to date, with all the drama and tradition you’d expect. Together with our team owners and the Yacht Club de Monaco, we’re proud to be building something meaningful here — pushing boundaries in racing and in sport.”
The E1 Monaco race was hosted at the prestigious Yacht Club de Monaco, a global reference point for sustainable yachting under the leadership of HSH Prince Albert II. As part of the weekend, the Club also welcomed the Blue Impact Dialogues, a roundtable co-hosted by E1 and Evolution Markets. UIM President Dr. Raffaele Chiulli opened the session, with contributions from E1 CEO Rodi Basso and E1 Chief Scientist Prof. Carlos M. Duarte, highlighting innovation and sustainability in marine sport.
Next, the Championship heads to Lagos, Nigeria on the 5th of October before concluding the season in Miami on 8th of November.