Millere-Hagin Dominates Historic Lagos E1 Grand Prix
Ieva Millere-Hagin delivered a dominant performance alongside Timmy Hansen to claim victory at the Lagos Grand Prix, as Africa hosted its first E1 Powerboat World Championship round.
The Latvian racer, competing for Team Brazil by Claure Group, topped every session across the weekend. The duo set the fastest time in practice, secured pole position in qualifying, then converted their pace into an emphatic victory in the final.
“It was an amazing race. The energy, the fans, the atmosphere was just electric. Timmy and I worked perfectly together as a partnership, and everything just clicked. He is an unbelievably good driver and it was for me a big honour to race with him in Lagos. Winning in Lagos was truly a special moment.”
Curtis Impact
The victory marked Team Brazil’s first win since Marcelo Claure poached nine-time Class 1 Offshore World Champion Steve Curtis from Westbrook Racing in late June to become Team Principal. Claure predicted at the time that Curtis’s “incredible career in powerboating and proven record of winning at the highest levels will no doubt lead Team Brazil to multiple podiums.”
Millere-Hagin praised Curtis’s contribution.
“It was really nice working with Steve. Thanks to his extensive powerboat racing experience communication was made really easy, and we quickly found effective solutions to improve our performance and become faster.”
Hansen also proved instrumental in her preparation.
“Timmy gave me great tips and tricks on how to handle the RaceBird. It’s very important not to stress the boat or make unnecessary movements that could lift it off the foils. Stability and smooth driving are key. I did struggle a bit at first because, in previous boat classes, my driving style was much more direct and aggressive.”
Second E1 Start
Lagos represented Millere-Hagin’s second E1 race, following her debut in Monaco last year competing for the Sergio Perez E1 Team. The 12-month gap revealed marked improvements in Team Brazil’s operation.
“Well the biggest difference is how this team has been working on the boat to make sure it runs well. Every small detail matters. This RaceBird felt more stable and definitely faster than the one I raced last year.”
In Monaco, she raced against her husband, 2022 UIM F2 World Champion Stefan Hagin. This time he served as her radioman from Mission Control.
The team’s tight schedule limited sightseeing opportunities.
“We didn’t have much time to explore Lagos, but the hospitality and friendliness of the people there was wonderful and the food was just amazing.”
Future Uncertain
Millere-Hagin confirmed she will not compete in the season finale at Biscayne Bay, Miami, leaving her 2026 plans unclear.
“At this point my racing season has come to end. But I’m curious what the 2026 racing season will bring.”
If it happened in powerboat racing during the last forty years the chances are that Chris Davies was there either photographing it or writing about it.
During that time, he has travelled the globe covering both offshore and circuit racing for series promotors, race teams, PR companies, and a whole raft of publications.
