E1 Jeddah GP 2026: Preview, Timetable and Entry List
The 2026 UIM E1 World Championship opens at Jeddah on 23-24 January with defending champions Team Brady facing nine rival teams in the all-electric hydrofoil racing series.
Sam Coleman and Emma Kimiläinen return for Team Brady after securing back-to-back championship titles in 2024 and 2025. The Welsh-Finnish pairing defeated Rafael Nadal’s Team Rafa by three points at last season’s Miami finale.
Sara Misir moves to Aoki Racing Team after finishing third overall in 2025 with Team Blue Rising. The Jamaican driver partners Dani Clos, who helped deliver multiple victories for the Steve Aoki-owned team last season.
Sara Price competes just six days after finishing second at the Dakar Rally. The American driver secured three stage victories in the Stock category for Defender Rally before switching from desert racing to electric powerboats for Westbrook Racing’s season opener.
New Teams and Drivers
Erik Stark joins Sierra Racing Club after Team Miami replaced him with Timmy Hansen and Patricia Pita Gago. The four-time UIM F2 World Champion partners Catie Munnings in the team’s second E1 season.
Team Monaco makes its championship debut with Maxime Nocher and Oban Duncan. Team Miami appointed nine-time Class 1 World Champion Steve Curtis as Team Principal to oversee their 2026 campaign.
Team Drogba Global Africa confirmed Ieva Millere-Hagin and Micah Wilkinson ahead of the season opener. Millere-Hagin won the historic Lagos Grand Prix in October racing for Team Brazil, whilst Wilkinson brings a 2024 Paris Olympic bronze medal from the Nacra 17 sailing event.
Team Rafa returns with Tom Chiappe and Cris Lazarraga after narrowly losing the 2025 title. Team AlUla fields Rusty Wyatt alongside Nerea Martí.
Championship Format
Ten teams compete across an eight-round calendar spanning four continents. Following Jeddah, the series travels to Lake Como in April, Dubrovnik in June, Monaco in July, Lagos in October, Miami in November, and concludes with the championship’s first Caribbean race in the Bahamas.
All teams race identical RaceBird electric hydrofoil boats that reach speeds approaching 100 km/h. Each team fields one male and one female pilot who alternate throughout race weekends.
Race Weekend Schedule
Friday features four free practice sessions followed by qualifying time trials, Q1, Q2 and the pole shootout. Saturday runs group stage races, a race-off, place race and two finals.
| Session | Local time (AST, UTC+3) | Your time |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 23 January | ||
| Free Practice Group 1 | 09:00 | |
| Free Practice Group 2 | 09:30 | |
| Free Practice Group 1 | 10:00 | |
| Free Practice Group 2 | 10:30 | |
| Qualifying Time Trials Group 1A | 11:30 | |
| Qualifying Time Trials Group 2A | 12:05 | |
| Qualifying Time Trials Group 1B | 12:40 | |
| Qualifying Time Trials Group 2B | 13:15 | |
| Q1 Group 1 | 14:15 | |
| Q1 Group 2 | 14:45 | |
| Q2 Group 1 | 15:30 | |
| Q2 Group 2 | 16:00 | |
| Qualifying Pole Shootout | 16:45 | |
| Saturday 24 January | ||
| Stage Race 1 Group A | 12:00 | |
| Stage Race 2 Group B | 12:30 | |
| Stage Race 3 Group A | 13:00 | |
| Stage Race 4 Group B | 13:30 | |
| Race Off | 14:50 | |
| Final 1 | 16:10 | |
| Place Race | 16:40 | |
| Final 2 | 17:10 | |
2026 UIM E1 Series Driver Line-ups
Team |
Driver 1 |
Driver 2 |
|---|---|---|
Team AlUla |
Rusty Wyatt |
Nerea Martí |
Aoki Racing Team |
Dani Clos |
Sara Misir |
Sierra Racing Club |
Erik Stark |
Catie Munnings |
Team Blue Rising |
John Peeters |
TBC |
Team Brady |
Sam Coleman |
Emma Kimiläinen |
Team Drogba Global Africa |
Ieva Millere-Hagin |
Micah Wilkinson |
Team Miami powered by Magnus |
Timmy Hansen |
Patricia Pita Gago |
Team Monaco |
Maxime Nocher |
Oban Duncan |
Team Rafa |
Tom Chiappe |
Cris Lazarraga |
Westbrook Racing |
Sara Price |
Lucas Ordóñez |
How to Watch
UK viewers can watch live coverage and highlights on ITV4. International audiences can access the racing through DAZN for live coverage and highlights.
The E1 Series YouTube channel provides additional streaming options and highlights depending on region.
Broadcast coverage extends to more than 140 territories worldwide for the 2026 season.
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His 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 September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
