Team Brazil Makes History at Africa’s Debut All-Electric Powerboat Race in Lagos
Last weekend, Lagos Lagoon transformed into an aquatic arena of speed, innovation, and spectacle as Team Brazil clinched victory at the E1 Lagos Grand Prix, the first all-electric powerboat race ever held on African waters. Against the backdrop of the city’s skyline, hydrofoil RaceBird boats sliced through the waves at speeds of up to 50 knots — a futuristic sight that fused sport, technology, and sustainability in one electric moment.
Hosted on October 5, 2025, the Lagos GP marked Africa’s debut on the UIM E1 World Championship circuit, drawing nine international teams, dignitaries, and a crowd buzzing with anticipation. The race, sponsored by FirstBank, was a statement of intent beyond a competition. Lagos, long celebrated for its cultural exports in music and art, is now steering into the global spotlight for clean marine innovation and its growing blue economy.
Team Brazil, led by Timmy Hansen and Ieva Millere-Hagin, overtook Team Monaco in a tense final heat to secure the win, with Team Blue Rising finishing second and Team Drogba Global Africa — co-owned by football legend Didier Drogba — taking third. Hansen’s precision driving earned him PIF Pilot of the Race, a testament to his calm under pressure despite unpredictable lagoon winds and earlier weather delays.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu praised the event as a “bold step for innovation, sustainability, and global collaboration,” highlighting how the race showcased Nigeria’s readiness to lead in climate-friendly technology. “We are building an ecosystem where sport, environment, and innovation coexist,” he said, as the crowd cheered beneath the city’s humid afternoon sun.
Beyond the engines and energy, the weekend carried the rhythmic, stylish, and unmistakable pulse of Lagos. Afrobeats blared from the waterfront as fashion influencers, creatives, and sports icons filled the VIP stands. Midday of October 5th on Victoria Island felt like a cultural moment, with Lagos meeting the world on its own terms.
In true Nigerian fashion, the event blurred the lines between progress and performance. From Monaco to Miami, the E1 series has always celebrated luxury and speed, but in Lagos, it found soul, the kind that hums in the engines and dances in the crowd.
As night fell over the lagoon and the last wave settled, Africa’s debut on the E1 circuit stood out as a historic, electric moment — a powerful prelude to an even bigger return in 2026.
