Team Aoki delivered a dramatic and hard-fought victory at the E1 Jeddah weekend from 23rd and 24th January, securing their second consecutive win at the Red Sea venue and opening the 2026 season with a statement performance under testing conditions.The Saudi Times was at the UIM E1 World Championship presented by PIF for the weekend where Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al Saud, the Minister of Sport was joined by Prince Albert of Monaco, Prince Sultan bin Fahad bin Salman al Saud, chairman of the Water Sports and Diving Federation and Prince Saud bin Mishal al Saud for the royally-studded event.
The weekend began under challenging circumstances, as high winds on qualifying day disrupted schedules and pushed teams to the limits of control and performance. Teams were forced to adapt rapidly as gusts swept across the course, turning qualifying into a test of precision and nerve rather than outright speed. Criz Lazaragga the female pilot of Team Rafa further explained to Izabella;
“More than the wind it’s about the currents. We’re racing on the water so anything that happens over the water happens under water and affects the performance of the boat…all the teams had to improvise for this qualifying session”
Race day brought calmer waters but introduced a new challenge as Jeddah’s heat intensified. Abnormally high temperatures for this time of year placed added pressure on both drivers and machinery, turning the opening race of the season into a contest of endurance, strategy, and composure. The conditions served as a stark reminder of how rising regional temperatures and increasingly frequent heat extremes – consistent with broader climate change trends – are reshaping the demands of sport in the region and highlight why climate focused championships like E1 are needed.
Despite their eventual success, Team Aoki admitted the weekend was far from straightforward. Speaking to The Saudi Times, Dani Clos, the male pilot for Team Aioki said, “We did very well in qualifying, but to be honest we didn’t have the speed generally throughout the weekend. We struggled a lot and had to change many things in our driving and also on the boat to be comfortable.”
The decisive moment came in the final race. Team Aoki began from lane one, the least favourable starting position and effectively the equivalent of starting at the back of the grid. Despite the disadvantage, they executed a remarkable recovery. “The key moment was the final,” the driver said. “After Final 1, starting from the last line, we knew it could be possible. Sara did an amazing job, going from lane one to victory. We were in the right place at the right moment.”
The result reaffirmed Team Aoki’s strong connection with the Jeddah circuit and sent an early message in the championship battle according to Dani; “This second win in Jeddah shows that, as a team and as pilots, we are in the fight for the championship again,”Dani Clos told The Saudi Times. “It’s something incredible for us.”
Beyond the racing, the Jeddah E1 weekend stood out for its high-profile attendance and growing international significance. Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Sport, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Saud, was present at the event, pinpointing the Kingdom’s continued commitment to hosting world-class sporting competitions and supporting innovative, future-focused championships such as E1.
The sport also welcomed two new teams to the grid – Team Sierra and Team Monaco. Team Monaco’s debut drew particular attention, representing the Principality of Monaco and supported in person by HSH Prince Albert II, who attended the race as a special guest.
Prince Albert’s presence extended beyond sport. He participated in the Blue Impact Dialogue alongside E1 Chief Scientist and distinguished international marine biologist Professor Carlos Duarte, where a vital environmental collaboration was announced: the creation of a global coral biobank.
“Jointly with Monaco, we are now developing a global coral biobank,” Professor Duarte told The Saudi Times. “The idea originated from the Oceanographic Institute of Monaco, and the Prince Albert II Foundation played a very important role in bringing this crucial infrastructure to life.”
With senior Saudi leadership in attendance, international royalty on site, new teams joining the line-up and a dramatic on-water battle decided by resilience and teamwork, the E1 Jeddah weekend highlighted the championship’s unique combination of elite racing, sustainability and global collaboration. The Saudi Times was on the ground to bring you this coverage and continues to follow the sport’s leading events across the Kingdom and beyond.
