Saudi female pilot soars in Jeddah as E1 makes a splash in world of motorsport

LeBron James and Will Smith among investors in PIF-backed electric powerboat series with global ambitions

Below the unforgiving Jeddah sun, home favourite Mashael Al Obaidan and her teammate Dani Clos, pilots of Team Aoki, celebrated a statement victory in the E1 Jeddah Grand Prix.

As the crowd saluted their achievement, they basked in their rightful glory, having taken the flag in the opening race of the 2025 championship.

For Saudi national Al Obaidan, winning last weekend's race in front of her own people in Jeddah was especially satisfying. “It just hits differently,” she told The National.

Al Obaidan wants to share her passion for powerboats with fans in the region, inspire them to follow the E1 Series and even participate in the sport. Based on her stellar performance in Jeddah, it might only be a matter of time before she gets her wish.

After all, having a home-grown pilot atop the podium can surely only help this new venture grow.

Backed by the Saudi Private Investment Fund (PIF), E1 was launched last year with an inaugural five-race season. Jeddah was the first of seven planned race weekends for 2025, with stops in Doha, Monaco, Lake Como and Miami already confirmed.

You can understand why the series has attracted the interest – and investment – of several A-list celebrities. Team Aoki is named after backer Steve Aoki, the famous DJ, while LeBron James, Tom Brady, Will Smith, Didier Drogba, Rafa Nadal and Virat Kohli have also come on board.

Actor Will Smith, right, and the tennis legend Rafa Nadal have joined up with E1 powerboats and each head up a team in the competition. Picture: E1

Founded by Alejandro Agag and Rodi Basso, E1 is an all-electric championship dubbed “F1 on water” by Basso, who has full faith in its ability to attract new fans.

Basso worked for many years in Formula One with the likes of Ferrari and Red Bull and, as a proud Neapolitan, his love of marine life and passion for engineering and technology helped birth the concept.

Aside from the obvious appeal and adrenalin rush of the racing, E1 has a strong message on sustainability, with the official website claiming the series “embodies a sustainable ethos, evident in the reduced environmental footprint of our electric RaceBirds. Blending high-speed excitement with ecological responsibility.”

But what about return on investment? How can the sport grow and attract a larger fan base and global interest? Basso said that while they were exploring the concept, they received “interest and attention from incredible talents from the world of business, sport and entertainment.”

Getting the likes of James, Brady, Smith and Kohli involved added some serious star power – and an incredible reach along with it.

“By having our talents engaged through the teams, we reach one billion people through social channels,” Basso explained, while also spelling out the need for an expanded calendar. “We started with five races and this year we will get to at least seven.

“We will add continents and countries to our calendar. The vision is to get to 15 because we want to be everywhere, roughly adding five races in Asia, five between Africa, Europe and the GCC, and five between North and South America.”

CEO and co-founder Rodi Basso has grand plans to grow the E1 brand. Picture: E1.

E1 currently has nine teams, but Basso believes they will have 12 within five years – the optimum number for the championship. Each participating team will have to buy a licence, and the value of that licence will grow alongside the sport.

“The target, [from] a financial standpoint, is to have a half a billion valuation of the company,” added Basso, who says licences are already far more valuable than when the series launched last year.

Unlike F1, E1 wants to race in Africa, and they are growing further in the GCC region. Platforming local pilots like Al Obaidan and the Kuwaiti Yousef Al Abdulrazzaq only serves to strengthen ties.

Al Obaidan is an impressive pilot and also understands her influence extends far beyond race day.

In 2022, she became the first Saudi woman to take part in the Dakar Rally and is determined to keep banging the drum for female empowerment having transferred her skills to the water.

“Part of going after my passion, and pushing – and it's not an easy journey as you know – is [about] inspiring the younger generation,” she told The National.

“I see it in their eyes. I saw so many kids this week and how they look at the boat, how they watch the race, and in their eyes, you can see they really love it and that’s how you create champions. You ignite that fire in them.”

Al Obaidan certainly ignited that passion within the Jeddah crowd as families and young children flocked to watch her battle to victory in tough conditions. The Saudi racer and her teammate Clos, a former F1 testing driver, rose above all challengers, including pre-race favourites Team Brady.

“Winning in your own country, it’s just different and winning among your own people just hits differently,” added a jubilant Al Obaidan, who holds a master’s degree in systems engineering and believes her background gives her an edge on the competition.

“Systems engineering really helps you to understand complex systems and I believe it does help, especially with the complexity of the boat,” she said.

So, what next for Team Aoki and Al Obaidan? Initially, the answer is Doha, Qatar, on February 22 for round two. Only time will tell if her exploits help capture interest in the region and beyond for a sport with global ambitions.

First and foremost, though, sport is about winning, and Al Obaidan has a taste for success. “I am hungry for the whole championship,” she said. “I want to win the whole championship.”