Tennis Great Rafael Nadal To Field Team In UIM Electric Raceboat Series

Legendary tennis star Rafael Nadal—a 22-time Grand Slam champion—of Mallorca, Spain, has committed to backing a Union International Motonautique E1 World Championship Series team. The UIM and Powerboat P1 announced the news in a press release issued this morning.

Billed as the “world’s first all-electric raceboat championship,” the series is slated to begin this year, though a formal launch date and race schedule has not been announced.

Captured here with E1’s co-founder and chairman Alejandro Agag (right), retired tennis star Rafael Nadal plans to field a team in the new UIM E1 electric raceboat series. Photograph courtesy/copyright Tomàs Moya.

“I’m really excited to be getting involved with a project like E1 that values sustainability and will make a positive impact on society as a whole, especially in coastal communities,” said Nadal, who retired from tennis after the 2022 season, in the release. “I also like the fact that E1 has a clear mission and is committed to preserving marine ecosystems.

“As a professional athlete, I recognize how making marginal gains has a positive impact on performance,” he added. “To see this same competitive spirit and approach being applied at E1 to optimize the performance and efficiency of sustainable marine mobility is good news for our oceans.”

According to the E1 Series website, the all-electric RaceBird raceboat “combines a sleek and futuristic design with innovative hydrofoil technology.”

Nadal’s outfit is the third team to join the UIM E1 series including the Venice Racing Team and Team Mexico. The series organizers plan to allow 10 teams into the inaugural series, according to the E1 website.

Nadal will also be supporting E1’s Blue Action Program, which has been “designed to create a positive impact on local communities through projects aimed at restoring marine ecosystems along city waterfronts,” according to the release.