E1 Team Miami, powered by MAGNUS, has signed New Zealand racer Rianna O’Meara-Hunt as its female pilot for the remainder of the 2026 UIM E1 World Championship, beginning at Round 2 in Lake Como on April 24-25.
O’Meara-Hunt, 24, takes the seat vacated by Patricia Pita Gago and will race alongside Swedish driver Timmy Hansen, who continues from the Jeddah opener. The signing gives Team Miami a settled line-up as it heads into the European leg of the season.
Her path to the Miami seat ran through Jeddah, where she stepped in for the injured Catie Munnings at Sierra Racing Club with no prior experience in electric powerboat racing. Despite the late call-up, she progressed through to Q2 and finished fifth alongside Erik Stark, impressing enough to earn a full-time seat.
A career built on firsts
O’Meara-Hunt began karting at eight years old in New Zealand. In 2017 she became the first junior female driver to win an Australian Rotax State Championship and New Zealand Rotax Max Challenge rounds. Six years later she made history again, as part of the first all-female pairing to win in the GT4 Aston Martin Vantage, taking double victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the GT4 SRO America series in 2023.
Selection followed to the Aston Martin Racing Elite Academy and Forsetti Motorsport, Aston Martin’s factory GT4 programme, where she secured multiple podiums in the GT Cup including a win at Snetterton.
“I’m honoured to be announced as the new pilot for Team Miami. The opportunity to compete in a World Championship is everything, and I’m ready to give it my all. As this new chapter begins, I couldn’t be more excited to be working with such a talented and experienced team. Together, we’re chasing results, podiums, and building something unforgettable. We’ll be giving it some Kiwi magic!”
Rianna O’Meara-Hunt, E1 Team Miami pilot
Hansen confident in new team-mate
Timmy Hansen had a front-row view of O’Meara-Hunt’s Jeddah performance and says the team has already built a strong working relationship ahead of Como.
“Rianna already showed in Jeddah that she is very fast and capable of delivering strong results. She achieved some excellent performances there. She already feels very well integrated into the team – we have weekly meetings and discussions focused on improving performance and helping her learn our procedures at Team Miami. She truly feels part of the family, and we’re looking forward to racing with her.”
Timmy Hansen, E1 Team Miami pilot
Curtis backs line-up to deliver
Team Principal Steve Curtis welcomed O’Meara-Hunt while paying tribute to outgoing pilot Patricia Pita Gago.
“We’re very excited to welcome Rianna to Team Miami. She has already demonstrated her ability to adapt quickly and perform under pressure, which is exactly what’s required in E1. As we head into the European leg of the season, we believe this new line-up gives us a strong platform to compete. All of us here at Team Miami want to thank Patricia Pita Gago for her commitment and contributions. She will always be a part of the team, and we wish her all the best going forward in her career.”
Steve Curtis, E1 Team Miami Team Principal
Team Miami finished seventh in the Jeddah standings after winning the Place Race. Round 2 in Lake Como takes place on April 24-25.
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.
