Team Brady Lead Tightens As E1 Competition Intensifies

Team Brady E1, owned by 7-times Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady, faces intensifying competition in the series’ second season.

With five different winners emerging across six races, Sam Coleman continues to adapt from offshore racing alongside his navigator and sister Daisy to solo cockpit duties in the canopied RaceBird.

The defending Team Brady E1 champions Coleman and Emma Kimiläinen, hold a three-point advantage ahead of Miami despite missing scoring opportunities during Lagos qualifying, where rapid garage repairs fell five seconds short of returning the damaged boat to the water.

Rotterdam Debut

The pilot’s first public RaceBird appearance came at September 2023’s World Port Days in Rotterdam, marking E1’s inaugural race before live audiences.

“Being one of four pilots to be involved in E1’s first race was a very special moment for me. I’d been around the project while it was in the development phase but to see multiple RaceBirds on the water was a particularly proud moment. It was a real challenge to get them built in time for the event, and I was one of the many guys putting in the long hours at the Seabird factory in Lago Maggiore. The World Port Days event was a great place to display new marine technologies and the engagement from the people of Rotterdam was so cool to see.”

Solo Racing Adaptation

Transitioning from offshore racing with sister Daisy to single-handed racing in the enclosed RaceBird cockpit presented minimal challenges despite the dramatic format shift.

“Despite the majority of my previous experience racing offshore with my sister, Daisy, it didn’t take long to adjust. Being used to racing with open communication helps with the capacity to absorb and give information to and from Joe, Ben, and Emma in mission control. I love the team dynamic that the E1 series requires to be successful, Emma or I might be the person in the cockpit but we’re definitely not alone.”

Team Brady E1 Championship Defence

Last season’s championship triumph featured three victories and an eleven-point margin over nearest rivals, but the current campaign demonstrates fierce competition across the grid.

“Absolutely, we’re only in season two and the competition is heating up. This year we’ve had five different winners from only six events! We’re still on it, we’ve been consistently quick but had some issues to iron out in the first two races which meant we had a slower start than we’d have liked but we’re not complacent, we continue to learn from every on-water session.”

The E1 World Championship features electric RaceBird boats competing across global venues, with Tom Brady’s team representing the NFL legend in the sustainable powerboat racing series.

Lagos Qualifying Setback

Mid-section damage during Lagos qualifying prevented scoring opportunities, though the team maintains perspective on championship implications heading to Miami.

“It’s tight at the top! Sure a bonus point or three would have been useful but that’s racing. Before the weekend, if someone said we’d extend our lead over Team Rafa we’d have viewed it as a good result. We’re now leading by three and need to bring our A-game to Miami.”

Centralised Development

Teams cannot access RaceBirds outside official events, with Seabird’s central engineering and mechanics team rolling out fleet-wide updates throughout the season.

“We don’t have access to the RaceBirds outside of official events. Seabird, the central team of engineers and mechanics will roll out updates for the whole fleet throughout the season but it’s up to us to make sure we’re race ready. With each team having different racing backgrounds, some sailing, some motorsport, and some powerboat racing it’s good that in E1’s early phase it’s controlled centrally until the time comes that the series is ready to unlock development.”

Hands-On Repairs

The pilot’s motorsport engineering background proved valuable during frantic Lagos repairs, with sleeves rolled up before the damaged boat reached the crane.

“Of course, I had them firmly rolled up, I was back in the garage before the boat was on the crane! We’ve got a great team of mechanics but if I’m needed, I’m ready to get stuck in and help the guys out too. Everyone in the team has the same mentality, we’re there to support each other and go above and beyond to be competitive. We were so close to getting back on the water to rejoin qualifying, incredibly we only missed the end of the next session by five seconds.”

The team’s engineering approach mirrors professional motorsport operations, with data analysis and technical preparation crucial to maintaining competitive performance across the UIM-sanctioned championship.

Lagos Course Impact

The straightforward near-oval Lagos layout compressed qualifying lap times across the field, bunching the championship positions by Sunday evening.

“Yes, probably more so for qualifying than the racing. We have a variety of challenges across different locations throughout the season, but for this one the near oval course bunched the pack for lap times.”

Stars and Stripes

The pilot’s patriotic sock choice over the Lagos weekend drew attention from broadcast commentators Shelley Jory-Leigh and Greg Haines, prompting good-natured ribbing about the Welsh racer’s American accessories.

“Hahaha, I’ve been getting a bit of stick for those! Shelley and Greg on the broadcast not helping here! Of course I’m Welsh, but we’re here representing one of America’s greatest athletes, and the GOAT of the NFL, so it’s just a little nod to Tom and our fans in the USA. We’re looking forward to putting on a show for them in Miami in a few weeks.”