Having stepped into the role of E1 CEO earlier this year, Jamie Copas sat down with Monaco Life to discuss his vision for the championship, its ambitious growth plans, and Monaco’s role in shaping its future.

E1 is the world’s first all-electric powerboat racing championship, bringing celebrity-owned teams to iconic waterfront destinations while promoting innovation and sustainability on the water.

With more than 30 years’ experience in advertising, brand building, and sports marketing, including the last decade in motorsport, largely around Formula 1, the opportunity to lead E1 was one he couldn’t ignore. After meeting E1 founder and chairman Alejandro Agag, he quickly understood the championship’s vision.

“The foundational stories are sustainability, gender equality, and innovation,” said Copas, adding that building awareness around those values is central to his vision for E1’s growth. While his experience in Formula 1 gave him a strong foundation in motorsport, Copas said E1 offered the chance to build something entirely different – an emerging championship built around sustainability and innovation. “Beyond building the brand, we build awareness so that we can tell our stories.” With races in destinations such as Monaco, Lake Como, and Dubrovnik, E1 has a unique opportunity to share those stories on a global stage.

Copas said his career has always centered on building brands and delivering commercial growth. “My history has always been about building brands… building brands is also building financial growth and return on investment.”

Despite fundamental differences from the agency side to the new CEO side, the objectives remain the same. “Working on the agency side, it’s about story mining and storytelling. And here it is the same, how do we find the right stories to tell around the races?”

Growing E1 through innovation and global partnerships

For Copas, growth is about far more than adding races to the calendar. He believes expanding E1 begins with strengthening its identity and attracting partners who share the championship’s values. “The partners that we speak to already know who we are… they want to be with us because of those stories.” He said sustainability, gender equality, STEM, and technological innovation are increasingly becoming the conversations that open meetings with potential partners, demonstrating how those values are helping shape E1’s commercial future.

Looking ahead, Copas hopes to grow the championship from its current 10 teams and 8 races to 12 teams and 15 races.

Why Monaco remains central to E1’s ambitions

Asked about Monaco’s place on the calendar, Copas was quick to emphasise its significance. Having this race on the calendar “is critical for us because it positions E1 within the heart of motorsport”.

Beyond providing a spectacular backdrop, Monaco brings a level of prestige few locations can match, reinforcing E1’s place within the wider motorsport world.

Team Monaco will be competing in their home race this weekend as a new entrant into the series this season. Copas highlighted the commitment behind this decision to enter, from the team, its owners, and pilots, which strengthens the relationship between E1 and Monaco as a whole.

Copas also recognised the support E1 has received from both the Principality and the local community, describing it as an important part of the championship’s continued growth.

Accelerating the future of sustainable marine technology

While electric vehicles have become increasingly common on roads, Copas believes the marine industry still has significant ground to cover. He pointed to Formula E’s influence on automotive technology as an example of how motorsport can accelerate innovation beyond the race circuit.  “On the water, it’s so much further behind. So the reality is, there is momentum there, but our storytelling helps to speed that up.” He said increasing awareness around electric marine technology is a key part of E1’s wider mission, helping encourage greater adoption of cleaner alternatives across the industry.

That mission aligns closely with initiatives already taking place in Monaco. Last week, the Principality hosted the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, where students and industry leaders showcased new sustainable maritime technologies. Asked how initiatives such as the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge align with E1’s ambitions, Copas shared, “We are in the process of looking at our second fleet and looking at the technological developments since developing the first fleet. We want to be at the forefront of that developing technology. We’re very close to it, it’s an important aspect of what we do.”

As E1 continues to expand its calendar and develop its next generation of electric race boats, Copas hopes the championship can do more than entertain. By combining elite sport with innovation and sustainability, he believes E1 can help accelerate the future of clean marine technology, with Monaco continuing to play a central role in that journey.

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