In a season already turning heads on the global stage, Kiwi Olympic medalist and renowned Nacra sailor Micah Wilkinson has joined Team Drogba, injecting fresh Kiwi spirit and skill into the high-octane world of electric boat racing. “You couldn’t dream up a more perfect series to fit my skillset. I’m excited to give my all to this team that has picked me up out of the blue at a time I was searching for the next step in my career,” Micah declared on Instagram. Early on, his impact was undeniable—Team Drogba surged past Team Blue Rising, with Wilkinson helping secure P2 and pushing his side into the Final. As Team Drogba later enthused, “Oban [Duncan] put us in a strong position going into the Final and Micah brought it home for the team in his first race. What a performance!”
The 2025 UIM E1 World Championship is already making waves. The inaugural meet in Jeddah set the stage for a season defined by razor-thin margins and fierce rivalry. Here’s the final standings from Jeddah: Aoki Racing came out on top with a whopping 39 points, while Team Rafa put in a solid effort to snag second with 30 points. Blue Rising wasn’t far behind, taking third place with 24 points, and Westbrook Racing followed closely in fourth with 19. Team Brady grabbed fifth with 18 points, and Team Miami ended up sixth with 13 points. Meanwhile, Team Brazil and Team Alula both finished with 9 points each, and Team Drogba rounded things off in ninth with just 5 points.
At this weekend’s meet at Doha the action intensified. During the first day (Friday) qualifying at the Visit Qatar E1 Doha GP, the lap times set the tone for the day. Team Rafa led the pack with a stunning 1:42:54, while Team Brazil wasn’t far behind at 1:44:60. Team Brady edged in close with 1:44:71, and Team Drogba secured fourth at 1:45:37. Team Blue Rising finished fifth with 1:46:04, followed by Team Aoki Racing in sixth at 1:46:74. Team Alula posted a time of 1:47:31, with Team Miami at 1:47:42 in eighth place, and Westbrook Racing rounding off the day at 1:48:17.
Heading into Day 2
The thrill didn’t end with the clock. Day 1’s head-to-head Qualifying Races saw tactical manoeuvres come to the fore with points awarded as: Team Rafa took first with 3 points, Team Brazil came in second with 2, and Team Blue Rising finished third with 1 point.
Then on Day 2 (Saturday) the Visit Qatar E1 Doha GP witnessed an electrifying Finals race where Team Rafa finally clinched their much-anticipated victory. Despite racking up the most podiums historically, a win had long eluded them until their breakthrough moment in Doha. With thousands of fans lining Pearl Island, Rafael Nadal’s Team Rafa surged ahead, led by the formidable duo of Spaniard Cris Lazarraga and Frenchman Tom Chiappe. (A reminder that each team must have a female and a male driver.) Notably, Team Rafa’s Cris Lazarraga served as the PIF Pilot of the Race in Doha. In an emotional post-race moment, she said, “For the last year we’ve been looking for this win. We were determined to win. This is our mantra. Everything went smoothly and after so much hard work this is where we deserve to be.”
Elsewhere, Hollywood star Will Smith, owner of Team Westbrook Racing, added his own star power as his team secured fourth place. Meanwhile, reigning champions Team Brady, led by NFL icon Tom Brady, faced mixed fortunes after their Finnish pilot Emma Kimiläinen clocked the fastest time in Final 1, only to be edged out in Final 2 after a penalty.
The atmosphere was electric with every session at Doha marked by razor-sharp piloting, daring overtakes, and strategic brilliance. As Rodi Basso, CEO & Co-founder of E1, put it, “Around 10,000 fans witnessed a race punctuated by drama and jeopardy… setting the stage for an incredible season ahead.”
Day 2 was just as thrilling, and the final standings really showed who was battling for the podium. Team Rafa led the pack with 42 points, while Team Aoki Racing wasn’t far behind in second place with 30. Team Drogba grabbed third with 24 points, and Westbrook Racing secured fourth with 19. In fifth, Team Brady finished strong with 15 points, followed by Team Blue Rising in sixth with 13 points. The rest of the field saw Team AlUla with 9 points, and both Team Miami and Team Brazil tied in the mix with 7 points each.
Team Rafa summed up the season’s momentum with a defiant message: “What a season so far! After an absolutely dominant weekend in Doha, we are officially at the TOP of the Championship Standings! But this is just the beginning. We won’t stop. We won’t slow down. We’re here to fight until the very end.”
For Kiwis and racing enthusiasts alike, the rise of Micah Wilkinson and the electrifying innovation of the UIM E1 series herald a new era in water sports—a testament to ingenuity, grit, and the global appeal of Kiwi talent on the world stage.
