After a thrilling race in Monaco in July for the 5th grand prix of the 2025 E1 Series World Championship, the electric speedboat equivalent of Formula 1, legendary quarterback Tom Brady’s team is ahead on points to lead rivals including Rafa Nadal (#2), DJ Steve Aoki (#3), Will Smith / Westbrook Racing (#5) and LeBron James / Team Alula (#6). The margins are slim however, so the teams backed by Brady and his fellow celebs will have to be in top form for the final two races in Lagos (October) and Miami (November), where the final winner will be decided.
On the heels of Formula E, which has had great success positioning itself as a sustainable alternative to Formula 1, the E1 series, sponsored by Bombay Sapphire gin, staged its first race in 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.”
Aside from Brady and Bombay Sapphire, known for its distinctive blue bottle and its unique vapor-infusion process featuring a blend of handpicked botanicals, 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. The E1 “racebird” boats as they’re called are single-seater, all-electric hydrofoils with a top speed of 50 knots, designed for zero emissions and minimal impact on marine ecosystems.
E1’s Monaco race was staged in partnership with the famed Yacht Club de Monaco, where E1 pilots do much of their training. 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. The Prince, Brady, Nadal, LeBron, and team owner Marc Anthony were all in attendance at the glamorous event.
At the Lord Norman Foster-designed Yacht Club de Monaco’s swimming pool overlooking Port Hercule, Bombay Sapphire created an E1-on-the-Riviera themed bar for VIPs, serving up signature cocktails such as the Bombay Sapphire Sparkling Lemon, the official cocktail of E1, made with Bombay Sapphire, fresh lemonade, and club soda. Team Brady pilot Sam Coleman—each time has one male and one female pilot—even tried his hand at making the signature drink.
“Bombay Sapphire partnered with E1 because of our shared values of sustainability, lifestyle, and joy of bringing something unique to consumers in the most iconic waterside cities in the world,” Bombay Sapphire Brand Director Jaime Keller tells Maxim. “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 sustainably such as our sustainable sourcing our botanicals from around the world.”
“Witnessing E1’s race in Monaco was incredible. Watching the boats zip across the Mediterranean from the Ocean Club, where spectators gathered along the shoreline, captured exactly the kind of moment we aim to create for sports enthusiasts and cocktail aficionados alike with this partnership. With its storied racing history dating back to 1929 with the Monaco Grand Prix, the glamour of Monaco only added to the energy of the tournament. After watching the race live in Monaco, I’m excited for the race to come to the U.S. for the first time this fall.”
The race day was preceded by dramatic qualifying sessions on Friday, during which Nadal’s Team Rafa was involved in a high-speed crash that caused significant damage to their E1 RaceBird and led to a red flag and early end to qualifying; no one was injured. Team Blue Rising won the actual race but lags behind Brady, Nadal and Aoki in overall season standings, though it is ahead of LeBron’s Team Alula.
“The race here in Monaco was one of the most spectacular E1 has ever seen,” commented Rodi Basso, E1 founder and CEO. “It reflected the rich motorsport heritage of this country, with suspense and danger at every turn. Together with our team owners and the Yacht Club de Monaco, we are building a legacy here — redefining water racing and setting a new precedent in sport.”