High-Speed Hydrofoils and Hollywood Heavyweights: Will Smith’s Westbrook Racing Ascends to the E1 Championship Summit in Dubrovnik

Executive Overview

The global landscape of motorsport is undergoing a silent, high-voltage revolution, and its epicentre this past weekend was carved out in the turquoise, history-drenched waters off the medieval stone walls of Dubrovnik, Croatia.

During the third stop of the 2026 E1 World Championship—the Adriatic Luxury Hotels E1 Dubrovnik GP—Angola Westbrook Racing surged to a hard-fought victory. Owned by Hollywood icon Will Smith and piloted by the formidable duo of Sara Price and Lucas Ordóñez, the team’s triumph has propelled them to the summit of the season standings.

Yet, this is far from a runaway narrative. Breathing down Westbrook’s neck in second place is Team Brady, spearheaded by NFL legend Tom Brady, the reigning two-time champions who refuse to relinquish their crown easily. Meanwhile, Team AlUla, championed by NBA superstar LeBron James, holds firm in third, rounding out a podium of ownership that reads like a roll call of global pop-culture royalty.

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As the E1 Series—the world’s first and only all-electric hydrofoiling boat championship—continues to expand its international footprint, Dubrovnik provided more than just a picturesque backdrop of terracotta roofs and copper-green domes. It served as a grueling crucible for cutting-edge marine technology, tactical piloting, and high-stakes athletic competition.

With ten teams backed by heavy-hitting celebrities, athletes, and entrepreneurs ranging from Rafael Nadal to Steve Aoki, the 2026 season has evolved into an intense clash of ego, engineering, and environmental advocacy.

Detailed Chronology: The Dubrovnik Grand Prix Weekend

The path to glory on the Dalmatian Coast was fraught with complex hydrodynamic challenges. The waters off Dubrovnik’s Old Town present a deceptive paradox: while breathtakingly beautiful, they are a nightmare for hydrofoiling vessels.

Unlike the controlled, freshwater environment of Lake Como—where Westbrook Racing secured their previous victory—Dubrovnik dishes out chaotic, multi-directional rollers. Swells bounce off centuries-old stone ramparts, colliding with deep Adriatic swells and choppy winds rolling off the coastal mountains. For a RaceBird—a 7-meter (23 ft) all-electric speedboat designed to fly above the water on carbon-composite hydrofoils—unpredictable waves are the ultimate enemy.

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Day One: Friday Qualifying

The weekend kicked off with Friday’s qualifying time trials, which immediately established the hierarchy of the championship. Demonstrating their mastery of the tricky course conditions, Westbrook Racing, Team Brady, and Aoki Racing claimed the top three spots, mirroring their positions in the overall season standings.

However, Friday was about more than just speed; it served as a masterclass in how elite pilots handle turbulence without slamming their hulls back into the water—a mistake that bleeds crucial speed and drains battery reserves.

Day Two: Saturday Group Stages and the Race Off

Saturday’s racing introduced the intense group stage format. Westbrook Racing continued their clinical dominance, sweeping through their heats and securing a coveted, direct bye straight into the Finals.

"This is amazing for our team," beamed pilot Sara Price after securing the heat win. "I don’t think we’ve ever actually won qualifying."

They were joined in the Finals by their arch-rivals, Team Brady, whose pilots Emma Kimiläinen and Sam Coleman also topped their respective groups, signalling that the champions were locked in and hunting for the lead.

Drama struck elsewhere on the water, however. Team Drogba Global Africa, owned by former Chelsea and Ivory Coast football star Didier Drogba, experienced a roller-coaster day. Despite New Zealand pilot Micah Wilkinson putting in a brilliant performance to top his group, a costly disqualification for dangerous driving handed to his co-pilot—four-time Spanish Olympian and world champion sailor Tara Pacheco—slammed the door on the team’s championship hopes for the weekend, leaving them stranded outside the Finals.

To fill out the remaining slots in the Grand Final, the remaining mid-pack teams entered the high-pressure "Race Off." Here, Tom Chiappe of Rafael Nadal’s Team Rafa delivered a masterclass in defensive driving. Despite a difficult overall weekend for the team, Chiappe steered his RaceBird into the finals, earning him the prestigious PIF Pilot of the Day honors. He was joined by Team AlUla, Team Miami (backed by music icon Marc Anthony), and the rising dark-horse entry, Team Monaco.

The Finals: Clash of the Titans

The E1 final format mandates two distinct races—one piloted by the team’s female driver and the other by the male, with combined cumulative times dictating the overall winner.

• Final 1: Team Brady’s Emma Kimiläinen executed a textbook start, beating Westbrook’s Sara Price to the first turning mark and holding her nerve—and her lead—for the remainder of the heat.
• Final 2: The drama escalated dramatically when a high-impact collision with a rogue wave tore the nose completely off the Team Miami RaceBird driven by Timmy Hansen. The red flags immediately waved, halting the race and eliminating Miami from contention.

Once the course was cleared and racing resumed, Westbrook’s Lucas Ordóñez tapped into an extra reserve of speed and tactical genius, hunting down the leaders to cross the checkered line first, securing the overall Dubrovnik Grand Prix victory for Will Smith’s team.

"This weekend has been incredibly special," Ordóñez reflected in the pit lane. "We’ve triumphed in difficult conditions and proved our fight and resilience as a team. Will has backed us all the way, so it’s amazing to pay back that trust."

Supporting Context & Metrics: The Anatomy of E1

To fully appreciate the gravity of Westbrook’s victory, one must understand the unique mechanical and structural blueprint of the E1 Series.

The RaceBird: 21st-Century Marine Engineering

Conceived by Sophie Horne of Seabird Technologies, the RaceBird is a marvel of modern naval architecture.

• Length: 7 meters (23 feet)
• Propulsion: 150 kW (200 brake horsepower) electric outboard system engineered by Mercury Racing, powered by high-density Kreisel batteries.
• Performance: Utilizing hydrofoil wings that lift the entire hull completely out of the water, the craft reaches blistering top speeds of 90 kmph (50 knots / 55 mph).

The Rulebook and Strategic Depth

Patterned after land-based motorsport pioneers like Formula 1 and Formula E (both co-founded by E1 mastermind Alejandro Agag, alongside racing veteran Rodi Basso), the E1 Series prioritizes pilot skill and mechanical equity over endless financial development. All teams compete using the exact same spec-built RaceBird.

• The Format: Spanning 8 to 9 weekends globally, events feature a mix of Friday time-trial qualifications and Saturday bracketed group races, Race Offs, Place Races, and two-part Finals.
• Gender Equality: There are no segregated "men’s" or "women’s" classes. Teams consist of one female and one male co-pilot who alternate drives, ensuring that overall success is a shared, gender-balanced achievement.
• The "Boost" Strategy: Pilots are permitted to draw temporary bursts of extra energy from their batteries. However, the energy recovery rule dictates that the recharge wait time is twice as long as the boost duration (e.g., a 10-second boost requires a 20-second cooling/recovery period). Combined with variable lap lengths (Short, Normal, and Long laps ranging from 900m to 1,700m), race strategy is constantly managed in real-time via radio contact with team engineers back at dockside "Mission Control."

Official Statements & The Celebrity Factor

While the pilots wrestle with G-forces and hydrofoil balance on the water, the cultural cachet of E1 is driven heavily by its star-studded ownership roster. Dubrovnik played host to a surreal gathering of global sports and entertainment icons.

NBA legend LeBron James and fellow basketball star Kyle Kuzma (co-owner of Sierra Racing Club) were spotted alongside tennis immortal Rafael Nadal, soaking in the high-speed maritime action from the stone fortifications of the Old Town.

Jamie Copas, Chief Executive Officer of E1, encapsulated the mood of the paddock:

"This has been an extraordinary weekend of racing in one of the world’s great coastal cities, and today’s final delivered everything E1 stands for—fierce competition, gifted pilots, and the most spectacular setting in motorsport. The 2026 Championship is shaping up to be one of the most compelling seasons we have seen. We head to Monaco next month with the standings far from settled."

Behind the scenes, the competitive fire extends well beyond the physical track. E1’s internal WhatsApp group chat among team owners has become legendary for its trash talk. Following Westbrook’s victory, Will Smith immediately fired off a celebratory message:

• "YES! Finally ahead of you, Brady."

Not one to back down, the seven-time Super Bowl champion replied with the timeless ethos of elite competitors:

• "We’ll see you at the next one."

Beyond the Podium: The Blue Economy Summit

While the racing provides the adrenaline, the E1 Series carries a deeper, structural mandate: promoting global sustainability and marine ecosystem protection.

Coinciding with Friday’s sporting trials, Dubrovnik officials, financial institutions, and international marine authorities convened for a high-level Blue Economy Summit. The conference focused heavily on how historic coastal cities can transition toward climate-resilient economic models. E1 serves as a living, high-speed laboratory, showcasing zero-emission marine technology operating at commercial scale under extreme conditions.

Future Outlook: The Road to the Bahamas

With three rounds in the books—Jeddah, Lake Como, and now Dubrovnik—the 2026 E1 Championship standings have tightened dramatically:

With 38 points awarded to a weekend winner, and less than halfway through the 8-to-9-weekend calendar, Westbrook’s 12-point lead over Team Brady is razor-thin.

The circus now packs up its electric hydrofoils and heads westward to the glamorous waters of Monaco on July 17–18, followed by stops in Luanda, Lagos, Miami, and a dramatic season-ending showdown in the Bahamas on November 21–22, where the ultimate "Champions of the Water" will be crowned.

If Dubrovnik was any indication, the remainder of the 2026 E1 season will be an unmissable war on water.