Give or treat yourself to a subscription to Boats in Motion print + digital and for only 39 euros a year you get the magazine at home plus read it on your PC, smartphone and tablet. With a sea of advantages.
Welcome to the special section “BAM 35 Years.” We are presenting “cult” articles from the Motor Boats archive, starting in 1990. A journey through time among stories unobtainable today, even in the great sea of the internet! A dive into the world of epic moments in motor boating. Here is one of the stories we were most passionate about.
From Boats by Motor 2021, no. 20, July-August, pp. 54-59.
Sustainability. Technology and sporting values. The E1 Series marks a turning point in motorsports.
Nothing will ever be the same again. We had pointed this out in the feature published in issue 18 of Motor Boats. From words to deeds. The E1 Series project has come into full swing. After the announcement made at the end of September last year, we have now reached the second decisive stage that projects the world of powerboat racing directly into the future. A not even too distant future. Yes, because there is very little time left. In addition to the purely sporting component, this new project has an even more ambitious goal: that is, to raise awareness of sustainable mobility on water as well. The preconditions for achieving this goal are all there and stem from the experience gained in the automotive industry, where the transition to electric propulsion can now be touched upon. Making a strong contribution to this epochal transition has been Formula E, which has become the testing ground for all major automotive companies to study and fine-tune, on the electric front, the technologies that now equip electric road cars. That’s why it is no coincidence that the creators of theUIM E1 World Electric Powerboat Series are Alejandro Agag and Rodi Basso, who, in addition to boasting a great deal of experience in the world of car racing (Agag conceived Formula E and Extreme E, while Rodi Basso has experience in Formula One with Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull Racing, ed.), share the same vision on the future of mobility on the sea. We met with Rodi Basso, Ceo and co-founder of theUIM World Electric Powerboat Series, in the aftermath of the official launch of the RaceBird, the boat in which the world championship will be raced, an occasion on which he granted this interview to Barche a Motore.
BaM – From idea to final boat design in less than two years. Not bad for an event of this magnitude. How did you manage it?
Low Rhodes– It was a combination of factors. It is worth mentioning that this initiative was born in the midst of a lockdown. Paradoxically, if the side effects of the pandemic were touched with a total or almost total paralysis of activities, on the other hand, they allowed us to rediscover a valuable resource: time. The one that allowed me to analyze and share this project with Alejandro Agag in our many meetings that took place in London during that very period. Then there is another issue: the fragility of the marine ecosystem. Today the health of the oceans is a priority that can no longer be postponed. It needs to be addressed now, and sport is an extraordinary communication channel to raise awareness of such a sensitive issue. Then there is the entrepreneurial aspect. My career path draws mainly from the world of motor sports. I wanted to use this experience to create a unique format.
BaM – Is it fair to say that the E1 Series even before being a sporting event is a platform that brings together diverse experiences?
R.B. – Without a doubt. Starting with the electric propulsion that borrows on water what has been successfully tested on asphalt with Formula E. The format involves races that are held on sheets of water near some seaside cities, alternating with stages in some of the most remote areas of the planet. But the purpose of this kermesse is also to be a real incubator of ideas. It is no coincidence that the design of the boat comes from a British start-up company, SeaBird Technologies. Then there is the nautical component that, in this case, involves Brunello Acampora’s Victory Marine. Finally, the most important ingredient: entertainment. Hence the idea of focusing on foils that will make the races very exciting. After all, it is enough to see what happened in the last edition of the America’s Cup. Our ambition is to broaden the audience of spectators as much as possible by bringing even those who are unfamiliar with boats and boating closer to the sport.
BaM – Have you arrived at the right time with the right idea?
R.B. – Indeed, powerboating as a sport is going through a time of transition. I am certain, however, that the UIM World Electric Powerboat Series has all the makings of a comeback for a sport full of fascination. Not least because it is a formula in line with the historical moment we are living through.
BaM – A lot will depend on the spectacle these boats offer in the race.
R.B. – You can bet on it. The RaceBird measures 7 meters long, has a width of 2 meters and a total weight of 800 kilograms and will be able to reach a speed of 50 knots. But it is not just a matter of performance. The skill of the pilots (one man and one woman) will be tested in their ability to know how to manage the energy at their disposal, precisely because there are no recharges during the races. On schedule we plan to start the first race in 2023. There will be only 12 teams. The world championship will consist of 10 stages, five of which will be in Europe, while the remaining five will be held in remote areas of the planet, not necessarily on the sea but also on rivers or lakes.
BaM – As happened with Formula One first and Formula E more recently do you think that the E1Series will also be able to generate spin-offs in the recreational sector?
R.B. – We are hoping for just that. The idea is to put our skills and know-how at the service of the marine industry by activating synergistic collaborations with the marine sector. The issue of electrification embedded in a marine context is still in its infancy, and we want to do our part.
By Matthew Zaccagnino
Read also: https://www.barcheamotore.com/2022-luca-ferrari-vola-nel-futuro-con-racebird/
Sign up for our Newsletter
Powerboats, its stories, from small open to motoryachts. Sign up now for our free newsletter and receive the best news selected by the editorial staff each week. Enter your email below, agree to the Privacy Policy and click the “sign me up” button.
Pictures of legendary motor racing driver Tazio Nuvolari (1892/1953) as a motor racer are extremely rare, unobtainable. The one we offer above was made in Gardone Riviera in 1935 just before a competition. Tazio is seated on a splendid hull
A tribute to the companies and people who have made Barche a Motore great over these 35 years allowing it to be born, grow, and become great up to this historic anniversary. In these articles the great excellences of boating
We have reached the last issue of a very special year. Yes, because in 2025 Boats by Motor celebrated its first 35 years. You know this and we have told you about it many times, but we can also tell
Welcome to the special section “BAM 35 Years.” We are presenting “cult” articles from the Motor Boats archive, starting in 1990. A journey through time among stories unobtainable today, even in the great sea of the internet! A dive into
