In the saturated world of elite motorsport, one startup is turning heads not on the tarmac, but on the water. The UIM E1 World Championship, co-founded by ex-F1 engineer Rodi Basso and sustainability-minded entrepreneur Alejandro Agag, is betting big on electric powerboats, coastal hospitality, and global storytelling.
Built on the bones of motorsport’s commercial machinery, the series combines the precision of Formula 1, the sustainability ambition of Formula E, and the event DNA of SailGP. The result is a sleek, spec-series format with a singular ambition: to reinvent what a modern sport can be.
A Sport Designed Backwards
Unlike traditional leagues that emerge from fan demand or grassroots origins, E1 was engineered backwards. It started not with boats or fans, but with a commercial hypothesis: what if sport wasn’t just about performance, but about narrative, place, and partners? Cities, not just fans, are the real customers. High-net-worth visitors, not just eyeballs, are the target.
This B2B-first approach puts hospitality, government partnerships, and destination storytelling front and center. In Jeddah and Doha, Basso says, more than 40,000 spectators attended, but the real engine of value is the 300-500-person VIP hospitality environment where corporate deals are inked.
Owning the Platform, Not Just the Product
E1’s closed architecture means every team races the same boat – the all-electric, hydrofoiling RaceBird – and operates within strict cost controls. This limits technical competition but enhances visual parity, safety, and cost predictability. Teams are franchises. Tech is centralised. Content is controlled.
It’s a Netflix-era model: highly polished, easily explainable, globally scalable. But it also comes with the challenge of maintaining fan interest when machines look the same.
Star Owners, Real Pilots
What differentiates teams is ownership. Will Smith, Tom Brady, LeBron James, Steve Aoki, and Rafael Nadal are among the early backers, bringing influence, capital, and a ready-made audience.
Pilots, however, are the true protagonists. From F1 veterans to powerboat world champions and trailblazing women like Sara Misir and Anna Glennon, they are cast as athlete-creators in a media ecosystem designed for digital first. These names and narratives are E1’s best bet for building emotional connections.
Sustainability: Buzzword or Blueprint?
E1 claims it aims to be a net-zero certified event by 2026. RaceBirds are zero-emission, and the series experiments with clean-energy logistics and community activation. But real emissions come from freight, travel, and infrastructure. Basso doesn’t shy away. He argues the platform is a showcase for marine innovation and civic engagement.
In Saudi Arabia and Nigeria, E1 events have included STEM outreach programs, school visits, and local partnerships – turning race weekends into educational opportunities.
The Media Equation
Unlike leagues chasing media rights money early, E1 is media-conscious but not media-dependent. CBS Sports, ITV, and DAZN provide legitimacy, but the real growth engine is short-form video and digital storytelling. With claims of 75 million views per weekend (unverified), the playbook is clear: build fandom from the bottom up, not the broadcast tower down.
A New Era of Sport-as-Startup
E1’s economic thesis borrows more from Silicon Valley than Silverstone. Team licenses. Controlled supply. Government underwriting. Destination PR. The goal is asset appreciation and long-term ecosystem value.
Basso projects a half-billion-dollar valuation within three years. It’s ambitious. But the model – sport as experience, place, and platform – may be the future for emerging leagues.
What the E1 Model Means for the Future of Sports Properties
At 365247 Consultancy, we believe E1 is not just a new sport – it’s a new template. For rights holders, governments, and sponsors alike, it offers three compelling lessons:
- Event-first, media-second: Build unforgettable experiences in real life that media then amplifies, not the other way around.
- Franchise-driven, not team-driven: Teams as equity-based businesses can unlock long-term investment interest and governance stability.
- City-as-stakeholder: Positioning a sport as a destination platform makes it economically viable for host markets and unlocks public-private partnerships.
Whether you’re launching a new property, rebranding a legacy league, or evaluating sports investment opportunities, E1 proves that control, narrative, and place can be more powerful than tradition.
Let us help you design the commercial and brand strategy, and stakeholder model to scale.
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IMAGE: Shiv Gohil
