Powerboat racing-DJ Aoki's team wins in Dubrovnik as Lebron claims first E1 podium
(Reuters) -DJ Steve Aoki's electric raceboat team surged to victory in the Adriatic over the weekend, claiming their second win of the season and leapfrogging Rafa Nadal's outfit in the E1 championship standings.
Former Formula 1 test driver Dani Clos, a new addition to Aoki Racing Team for 2025, took the chequered flag in a tight finish at the E1 Dubrovnik Grand Prix, with Team Brady securing second place and NBA superstar LeBron James celebrating his first podium finish with Team AlUla in third.
The victory unfolded against the backdrop of Dubrovnik's historic walls, where thousands gathered for Croatia's debut on the UIM E1 World Championship calendar, the series dedicated to all-electric powerboat racing.
The result intensified the rivalry between Aoki's team and Nadal's, which could only manage fourth place despite qualifying strongly. Both teams have emerged as the dominant forces in the 2025 season as they vie for the "Champions of the Water" title, to be decided in Miami in November.
The championship, which features teams owned by global celebrities including actor Will Smith and former footballer Didier Drogba, now heads to Italy's Lake Maggiore in late June for the midpoint of the season.
The E1 World Championship is the first all-electric raceboat series sanctioned by powerboating's global governing body, the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), and is designed to accelerate innovation in sustainable marine technology and coastal conservation.
(Reporting by Ossian Shine, Editing by Ed Osmond)
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