Lagos made history on Saturday as the world’s first all-electric raceboat championship — the E1 Grand Prix — held its first-ever African qualifying session on the scenic Lagos Lagoon.
Team Rafa, owned by tennis icon Rafael Nadal, clinched pole position after a dramatic showdown in the Lagos E1 Grand Prix presented by FirstBank, edging out Team Brady and Aoki Racing in a tightly contested session.
The result lifts Nadal’s team to the top of the overall standings with 136 points, just one point ahead of Tom Brady’s Team Brady on 135, while Aoki Racing follows with 125 points.
Team Brazil, owned by the Claure Group, had their best showing yet, earning 51 points to bring their total to the same number.
Other teams rounding out the leaderboard include Team Blue Rising (114 points), Westbrook Racing (82), Team Alula (LeBron James) (79), Team Drogba Global Africa (66), and Team Miami (32).
E1 Founder and CEO Rodi Basso described the Lagos leg as a defining moment for motorsport in Africa, praising Nigeria’s enthusiasm for the global championship.
“The warm welcome in Lagos has been incredible. The passion of Nigerians made this historic E1 Lagos GP possible,” Basso said.
“Our ambition is to build a motorsport legacy in Africa. This weekend’s race is just the beginning — today’s qualifying offered a thrilling preview of race day.”
Crowds thronged the Marina waterfront to witness the spectacle of high-speed electric boats skimming across the lagoon, with Sunday’s main races — featuring group heats, a race-off, and the finals — expected to draw even larger numbers.
African football legend Didier Drogba and his partner Gabrielle Lemaire, instrumental in bringing the E1 Series to Africa, are also in Lagos to support Team Drogba Global Africa.
The E1 Lagos Grand Prix is the penultimate round of the 2025 season, ahead of the finale in Miami later this year — marking Lagos as a key stop on the world’s newest and fastest-growing electric racing circuit.
