The 2025 edition of the UIM E1 World Championship presented by PIF kicked off with a famous first win for Aoki Racing Team and its pilots Dani Clos and Mashael Alobaidan.
With a delighted Steve Aoki, team owner and music superstar, in attendance in Jeddah, Aoki Racing Team won both of its group stage races and shrugged off a defeat in the first final race to clinch the event’s top spot.
But though the winning crew had looked so strong throughout, there were non-stop twists and turns, from one heat to another, as the Jeddah round unfolded.
Race Off dismay for win contender
Team Miami powered by Magnus’s crew – comprising Erik Stark and Anna Glennon – was among the fastest in qualifying action on Friday, and dominated Saturday’s group stage opener with Stark by nearly 11 seconds.
But it ultimately came up just short of ensuring a spot in the finals – Glennon emerging from her late long-lap just behind Team Rafa pilot Tom Chiappe.
It forced the crew to the Race Off – where Stark was penalised for a ‘lane’ breach, so found himself in a heated three-way battle for that pivotal third place (the last place in the final) instead of controlling the race from up front.
He ultimately couldn’t overcome the setback – and his loss was Team Blue Rising’s gain, as the strategy of a last-second short lap allowed series debutant Sara Misir to just outrun Team Drogba’s Oban Duncan.
As for Team Miami powered by Magnus, Glennon did end on a high note by dominating the Place Race. “That was the best possible outcome today, I think,” she said.
“Obviously we’re really disappointed by the penalty – but I’m just going to say, if you make me mad, I’m going to come out swinging.”
Peeters stuns before Clos prevails
The first final race (deciding starting lanes for the second) immediately turned the picture upside down as Team Blue Rising’s John Peeters went from the unfavoured outside lane to victory – courtesy of a great start, an early long-lap to avoid ‘dirty water’ and great pace that propelled him to first place over Aoki Racing Team’s Alobaidan.
But an excellent start in the second final – the decider – restored Aoki Racing’s Team advantage, with ex-Formula 1 test driver Clos converting the early lead into a comfortable win.
“Amazing! Let’s goooooo!,” Clos yelled at the finish. “So happy. You cannot imagine, guys.”
The Rafael Nadal-backed Team Rafa – which lost a near-guaranteed qualifying triumph (and the three bonus points) to an in-race navigational mistake on Friday – had a spectacular final of its own, coming seemingly out of nowhere to snatch second place.
And newcomer Misir capitalised on Peters’ success in the earlier race to bring home the final spot on the podium for Team Blue Rising, holding off Westbrook Racing and reigning ‘Champions of the Water’ Team Brady – struggling at Jeddah with an unspecified left-foil issue that they believe will be rectified going further into the season.
