Team Brady has officially extended their dominance in the UIM E1 World Championship, claiming an iconic victory at the inaugural E1 Luanda Grand Prix in Angola. Hosted against the stunning backdrop of the Luanda Island Yacht Club, the historic event marked the electric hydrofoil racing series’ debut in Southern Africa. For NFL legend Tom Brady’s squad, the win marked their first Grand Prix victory of the 2026 season—following a consistent string of podium finishes—and widened their lead at the top of the standings as they relentlessly pursue a third consecutive world title.
The weekend deliver plenty of drama right from the group stages, catching several key championship contenders off guard. Westbrook Racing, owned by Will Smith, suffered severe technical issues during their opening heat and had to race with a borrowed boat from Team AlUla. After a nail-biting finish where Sierra Racing Club pipped them at the line by under half a second, Westbrook was left in 9th place and missed out on the Finals entirely. Other heavyweights faced similar setbacks, with Team AlUla, Team Drogba, and Team Miami all failing to qualify, drastically shifting the dynamics ahead of the main event.
When the Finals kicked off, Team Brady showcased pure tactical perfection. In Final 1, Team Blue Rising’s Mashael Alobaidan took an early lead but was quickly handed a long-lap penalty for an illegal lane change at Turn 1. Team Brady’s Sam Coleman seized the moment, taking his own mandatory long lap early to find clean water. The clean run allowed Coleman to surge ahead, win the session, and lock in pole position for teammate Emma Kimiläinen in Final 2.
Final 2 brought high tension from the opening light. A start-line collision between Aoki Racing and Team Blue Rising forced both to miss course marks and receive penalties, leaving Kimiläinen to take control of the race. However, Team Brady chose to hold off on their mandatory long lap until the very last sector of the final lap. This allowed Oban Duncan of Team Monaco—who was later named Pilot of the Day—to rapidly close the distance. Kimiläinen managed to keep her composure, crossing the finish line just 1.4 seconds ahead to seal a thriller of a Grand Prix victory.
With this crucial win, Team Brady now holds a commanding 40-point lead over second-place Westbrook Racing (157 points to 117), with Aoki Racing holding third at 86 points. All eyes now turn to the season-ending double-header finale in Miami, where Team Brady will look to officially seal their championship defense on home soil.
Current Championship Standings
| Position | Team | Points |
| 1st | Team Brady | 157 |
| 2nd | Westbrook Racing | 117 |
| 3rd | Aoki Racing | 86 |
Visit UIM E1 World Champion website for more information.
