E1 Team Monaco delivered one of its strongest performances of the season at the third round of the UIM E1 World Championship by PIF in Dubrovnik last Friday, reaching the final and finishing fifth — only for a technical failure to deny the team what would have been its first podium in the all-electric raceboat series.
The E1 Series is the world’s first all-electric powerboat championship, sanctioned by the Union Internationale Motonautique. Each team fields both a male and a female pilot, racing purpose-built electric RaceBirds capable of reaching speeds of up to 60 knots. Team Monaco, which joined the championship as a new entrant this season, is co-owned by male pilot Maxime Nocher.
Strong start, then a cruel setback
Female pilot Oban Duncan made an outstanding start in the final, immediately moving into third position and putting the team in genuine podium contention. The race was red-flagged after Team Miami’s RaceBird lost its nose section, forcing a restart — and it was the aftermath of that incident that ultimately cost Team Monaco.
The impact from the boat wash had damaged the RaceBird’s windscreen cover, leaving Duncan racing with severely compromised visibility and the boat taking on water. Running in third place, the RaceBird suddenly lost all power mid-straight. The team reacted by switching to a short lap strategy to stay in contention, a plan that held for three laps before the engine isolation system failed entirely, ending the race and the prospect of a podium.
“The conditions were tough, we made two excellent starts and had real pace — but we took a significant impact which ultimately meant we couldn’t finish the race,” said Duncan. “The windscreen cover came off after the restart, which made visibility very difficult, and the boat was also taking on water. It has been a very tough day, but I am proud of how we fought until the very end.”
Focus turns to Monaco
Nocher acknowledged the disappointment but pointed to the team’s improving pace ahead of its home race next month.
“I am proud of the team. We had the podium in our hands and were running P3 when we had to retire — it could have been our first podium of the season,” he said. “Now our focus turns to our home race in Monaco. We hope to have the boat fix all the part change where we have issue and be able to fully push for the result we know we are capable of. Our pace has improved significantly, and we want to show what this team can really do when everything comes together.”
Team Monaco leaves Dubrovnik seventh in the championship standings with 33 points, with Round 4 of the UIM E1 World Championship taking place in the Principality on 17th and 18th July.
Westbrook take back-to-back victories
Will Smith’s Angola Westbrook Racing claimed victory at the E1 Dubrovnik GP, with pilots Lucas Ordóñez and Sara Price overcoming high winds and choppy conditions to extend the team’s championship lead to 12 points.
It was back-to-back GP victories for Westbrook, who dominated their group stage before Ordóñez sealed the win in a disrupted Final 2 — red-flagged after Team Miami’s nose section detached following a high-impact collision with a wave. Team Brady finished second through pilots Emma Kimiläinen and Sam Coleman, keeping the title race alive, while LeBron James’s Team AlUla completed the podium. The NBA star was among those watching from the Dalmatian Coast, alongside fellow NBA star Kyle Kuzma and tennis legend Rafael Nadal.
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Photo source: E1