Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady already has a few accomplishments to boast about. From his legendary NFL career to his ventures in business and media, Brady’s trophy case is overflowing. And now he has another honor to add to the list, as his team was recently crowned E1 2025 Champions of the Water after a sensational win at the debut E1 Miami Grand Prix.
E1 is literally the wave of the future—an oceangoing version of Formula One campaigned with eco-friendly superboats, called “RaceBirds” in official parlance, with grands prix held in glamorous locations around the globe. All are sponsored in part by Bombay Sapphire gin, which sets up VIP bars that serve as the social hubs of each event, where you’re likely to see the likes of E1 team principals, including Rafael Nadal, Will Smith, LeBron James, Marc Anthony, and Steve Aoki, and their A-list friends.
A RaceBird is the electric speedboat equivalent of a hybrid Ferrari F1 car, single-seater hydrofoils that fly across the water at 50 knots while producing zero emissions. The place to be for the U.S. debut and 2025 season finale of E1—the world’s first all-electric powerboat championship—was the Ocean Club in Biscayne Bay, where its bars saw actress Grace Van Patten join Brady, Smith, Nadal, and Anthony for a privileged view of the racing action.
In Brady’s second consecutive E1 world championship, the sports star’s team held off a fierce challenge from Nadal’s team in a season finale that went down to the last lap. The victory capped a nine-race series spanning four continents, with Britain’s Sam Coleman and Finland’s Emma Kimiläinen piloting Brady’s electric RaceBird for the win. Team Brady dominated the weekend’s competition, winning every race from group stages through finals to claim the crown.
“I couldn’t be prouder of Team Brady for bringing home two straight E1 World Championships,” Brady said at the event. “Sport is about strength, resilience, and consistency—the same mindset that drives us every single day on the water. Two championships don’t just happen. They’re earned through relentless effort, total commitment, and belief in each other. We’ve proven what’s possible when you chase greatness with everything you’ve got—and trust me, we’re just getting started.”
Brady’s team pulled ahead for the season during a tight race in Monte Carlo last summer at the Yacht Club de Monaco, where they outpaced James’s team in a photo finish that set the tone for their championship run. On the heels of Formula E, which has had great success positioning itself as a sustainable alternative to Formula 1, the E1 series staged its first race in 2024. Brady was one of the first to sign on for team ownership, declaring, “I’m passionate about both the ocean and sustainability. The E1 series is a great opportunity to be involved in a sport that is at the forefront of innovation and action for a sustainable future.”
The E1 series is backed by Saudi Arabia’s PIF and overseen by Monaco-based UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique), the international governing body of powerboating. Aside from Brady, E1 has forged a strong connection to Monaco with the backing of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, who is equally passionate about oceanographic causes.
“We partnered with E1 because of our shared values of sustainability, lifestyle, and the joy of bringing something unique to consumers in the most iconic waterside cities in the world,” notes Bombay Sapphire Brand Director Jaime Keller. “When it comes to sustainability, E1’s focus on electric racing and their blue impact marine regeneration”—a framework of initiatives to promote the restoration and regeneration of marine ecosystems worldwide—”speaks to our long-term values of sustainability, such as the sustainable sourcing of our botanicals from around the world.”
In Miami, Van Patten, known for her roles in Tell Me Lies and The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, said she was drawn to E1’s mix of fast-paced competition and entertainment. Styled by Ryan Young in an elegant Dôen dress, she sipped a lemon cocktail, which she mixed herself, and watched the action on the water. The Ocean Club was buzzing as guests watched the races along Miami’s coastline, with music and cocktails throughout the afternoon, reaching a crescendo when Brady, the local hero and Miami resident, saw his team cross the finish line first. Will Smith kicked things off by dancing to his hit song “Miami” before celebrating Brady’s championship victory by spraying the crowd with champagne.
“Congratulations to our 2025 Champions Team Brady, who took the title battle right down to the wire,” enthused Alejandro Agag, founder and Chairman of E1. “Our first U.S. race in Miami is a milestone for the series as E1 continues to gather momentum and win new fans of this dramatic sport. What we’ve witnessed this season shows that electric racing can deliver close racing, inspire progress, and drive change through the thrill of pure competition.”
Rodi Basso, founder and Chief Executive Officer of E1, added, “Massive congratulations to Team Brady who fought hard all season to retain their Champions of the Water crown. This Miami finale captured everything that makes E1 so special: speed, spectacle, and purpose. Congratulations also to Team Rafa, who battled hard until the very last moment. The fans watching here and around the world were treated to E1 at its best and a final worthy of an incredible year of racing. After a break, teams new and old will be back vying for race wins and the title in 2026.”
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2026 issue of Maxim magazine. Subscribe here.