Steve Curtis has been appointed Team Principal of E1 Team Miami, powered by MAGNUS, for the 2026 UIM E1 World Championship season.
The nine-time UIM Class 1 World Champion brings decades of offshore racing experience to the electric powerboat championship, which opens its third season at the Jeddah GP on 23-24 January.
Curtis became the youngest ever Class 1 World Champion at 21 years old in 1985. He has accumulated nine World Championship titles, the last in 2022 with driver Travis Pastrana and the Huski team, seven consecutive Pole Position Championships from 2001 to 2007, plus victories in European and Middle East championships.
Steve Curtis Class 1 World Championships
1985 – A.J. Roberts (United States) / Steve Curtis (United Kingdom)
1987 – Steve Curtis (United Kingdom) / W. Falcon (United States)
1998 – Bjørn Rune Gjelsten (Norway) / Steve Curtis (United Kingdom)
2002 – Bjørn Rune Gjelsten (Norway) / Steve Curtis (United Kingdom)
2003 – Bjørn Rune Gjelsten (Norway) / Steve Curtis (United Kingdom)
2004 – Bjørn Rune Gjelsten (Norway) / Steve Curtis (United Kingdom)
2005 – Bård Eker (Norway) / Steve Curtis (United Kingdom)
2006 – Bjørn Rune Gjelsten (Norway) / Steve Curtis (United Kingdom)
2022 – Travis Pastrana (United States) / Steve Curtis (United Kingdom)
Curtis said:
I’m thrilled to take on the role of Team Principal for Team Miami. E1 is pioneering the future of sustainable racing, and I’m excited to help lead this team into a new chapter of competition and innovation.
In August 2025, Curtis set a 242 mph course record at the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout alongside Darryl Cuttell in the turbine-powered Darana Hybrid Mystic. The run bettered the previous three-quarter-mile mark of 221 mph set by American Ethanol in 2024.
Curtis previously served as Performance Coach at Westbrook Racing during the E1 Series’ inaugural 2024 season before departing in June 2025 to become Team Principal of E1 Team Brazil. Under his leadership, Team Brazil secured their maiden victory at the inaugural Lagos GP in October.
Alex Malavenda, Co-Founder of E1 Team Miami, powered by MAGNUS, said:
Steve’s extraordinary career and proven leadership makes him the perfect choice for Team Miami. His speed and experience in both traditional and electric powerboat racing bring invaluable insight as we prepare to make waves in the 2026 E1 season.
E1 Team Miami is owned by global entertainer Marc Anthony.
As Team Principal, Curtis will oversee all sporting, technical and operational aspects of the 2026 campaign, working with pilots, engineers and strategic partners.
The 2026 UIM E1 World Championship features eight rounds across four continents. After the Jeddah opener, the series travels to Lake Como in April, Dubrovnik in June, Monaco in July, then a venue to be confirmed in September, Lagos in October, concluding with rounds in Miami and the Bahamas in November.
John Moore’s involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
