Sara Price takes another run at the UIM E1 – electric boat racing – World Championships

Back for another run at one of the coolest - as well as environmentally friendly – forms of competition motorsports racing going today, the UIM E1 World Championships, presented by PIF, Monster Energy’s Sara Price and her race partner Lucas Ordoñez will make a run at the 2025 championship in the actor Will Smith-sponsored Westbrook Racing RaceBird electric boat.

“Our team is truly where racing and entertainment collide,” Price said in an interview last season, which certainly remains today.

The UIM (which stands for Union Internationale Motonautique) E1 Championship was created back in 2020 by Formula One engineer Rodi Basso, along with Alejandro Agag, who founded the popular Formula E and Extreme E four wheel electric competition series. Tested over a series of runs in Italy’s River Po, the futuristic “RaceBird” is the technological showpiece of the E1 series. A single-seat electric race boat that seems to magically glide high above the water on two hydrofoils, the equally prepared and powered RaceBirds creates an even playing field for the male and female race teams, much in the same way the International Race of Champions (IROC) automobiles did back during that series’ run.

2024, E1’s inaugural season, saw Price and Ordoñez battle to a podium 2^nd place finish in the overall standings (despite missing a race), 11 points back, 71-60, of overall winners Emma Kimilainen and Sam Coleman of Team Brady’s (yeah, that Tom Brady).

This year, Price and Ordonez just missed the podium with a 4^th place run in the series’ opening round at the port city of Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) on the Red Sea. Price and Ordoñez still took home a valuable 19 championship race points despite not making the podium, which put them in a better place than last season - having missed one of the series races (and valuable points).

Sticking to the Middle East, Price and Ordoñez will suit up and go at it at the Visit Qatar E1 Doha GP, beginning on Friday, Feb. 21^st with Free Practice and the Acceleration Festival before Qualifying and the Qualifying Race.

Monster Energy managed to catch up with the jet set Price to get her take on the start of the 2025 UIM E1 World Championship and how a traditional dirt girl is adapting to this new and innovative competition water sport.

Monster Energy: Sara, Season 2 here of the E1 World Championships. Before we look into hitting the water off Qatar this weekend, talk a bit about your first year doing this series, what you were thinking heading into it and what you ultimately took away from it.

Sara Price: Season one was absolutely amazing. We were obviously the underdog coming in one race down, but I guess it went to show how awesome our team is and getting podiums, and a win in incredible fashion coming in second in the series overall even missing a race.

ME: That’s awesome. Seeing Will Smith is the main backer of the Westbrook Racing team again. Does he show up at the races and hang with you guys? Also, you’ve got Lucas Ordoñez back as your co-driver this year, talk about having him back for 2025.

SP: Yes! Will Smith will be joining us here in Qatar. Last year, he joined us in Lake Como (Italy) and we had our first win. So now, he’s not allowed to miss a race we always try to tell him (laughter)! This year, I have the same teammate, Lucas Ordoñez. He’s a great guy and a super talent and we make an amazing team. And that’s not only me and Lucas as teammates, but our entire team as well. From our boat coach, Steve Curtis, who a lot of you may know as the fastest man on water within a mile, and our incredible crew - Phil, Yan, Javi ,Shaky and Guy. The Westbrook Racing team has stayed the same and we really are like a family now. I feel like when the vibes are good in a team it’s a recipe for success!

ME: That’s top shelf. Talk a bit about the opening E1 round in Jeddah earlier this month, what worked for you guys, and what you were able to tap into from last year in terms of experience racing on the water for the first time.

SP: Jeddah was a crazy one for me as I flew straight to the other side of Saudi the day after finishing Dakar (aka the Dakar Rally) there. To kick off the E1 season 2 at Jeddah was awesome, but it wasn’t our best performance. I would say we struggled with some issues with the boat, but even though we might have had issues we raced well and still got 4th – and gained some important points for the championship. The racing in E1 is a roller coaster to say the least anything can happen. Just make it to the finale each race is a super big deal!

ME: Back to Qatar this weekend, what will it take to put the Westbrook Racing boat back on the podium and, ideally, up top?

SP: We are on the hunt for that podium and that win here in Qatar, and you’d better believe we are giving it our all! I think we just have to push and have a little luck on our side and we can do it. We have what it takes and the team to make it happen!

ME: Yes, you and Lucas have certainly proved that in the past. … Also, since you're in the neighborhood, are you able to sneak over and watch Ricky (Brabec, Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally team member and Sara’s longtime boyfriend) race his dirt bike over in the United Arab Emirates at the FIM World Rally Raid Championship’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge that starts up this weekend and runs through next Thursday?

SP: (Laughter) It’s always super ironic, we both leave the same house and end up traveling across the world and are near each other somehow. I might have to hop on a quick flight and join him over in Abu Dhabi once we are finished here in Qatar racing. I do have to say it’s nice that we are in the same time zone halfway around the world here.

ME: Last question... If E1 officials would let Ricky borrow a race boat for the afternoon... Would he stand a chance against you in the water?

SP: (Laughter) Oh, he’s been wanting to try one of the boats out, but I don’t think he has a chance. We will have to wait and see one day if we can get him in one to do some head to head racing.

ME: Right on, Sara. From everyone at Monster Energy back in Corona, Calif., best of luck this weekend putting the Westbrook Racing RaceBird up on the podium!

SP: Thank you and thanks again to everyone at Monster Energy. We’ll certainly do our best.

Up next… The UIM E1 World Championships continues, Feb. 21-22, in Doha, Qatar, with Round 2 of the 2025 series – the Visit Qatar E1 Doha GP. For more information link to www.e1series.com