The futuristic Racebirds, the ‘spaceships of the water’, are the most advanced electric racing speedboats in the world. The Italian entrepreneur and the American actor will participate with Team Westbrook in the first world powerboat championship on May 12th. Also in the team are the Monegasque investor Alshair Fiyaz and the nautical entrepreneur Tommaso Chiabra.
A new adventure in the world of sport and green technologies for Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio. The Italian entrepreneur participates in the E1 Series World Championship, the first world championship of electric racing speedboats, founding a personal team – Team Westbrook Racing – together with the actor, musician and film producer, Will Smith, and the co-founders of Westbrook Ko Yada and Miguel Melendez, the Monegasque investor Alshair Fiyaz and the nautical entrepreneur Tommaso Chiabra. The E1 Series was born from the experience of electric Formula 1 to bring the passion for competitions and the commitment to the development of sustainable technologies to the water. To do this, the E1 Series created a type of speedboat that didn’t exist before. The Racebirds are born “sustainable by design” and seem to come straight out of science fiction with their spaceship profile and the ability to exceed 50 knots, an extreme speed in water. What makes the races even more exciting is the fact that the crews compete on equal terms using the same model of boat.
The Championship began in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and continues in Venice (May 12) where Team Westbrook Racing will make its debut. Subsequent races will be held in Puerto Banús, Marbella (2 June), Geneva (30 June), Monaco (27 July), Rotterdam (8 September) and Hong Kong (10 November). For Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio it is not the first investment in the green field. The LMDV Capital Family Office (CEO Marco Talarico) has recently stood out for its strong investments – for example in the Made in Italy packaging champion IMA Group – aimed at the development of new sustainable techniques in the processing of materials.
“I find it important to support the birth of a new sport, where innovation combines emotion and sustainability – declared Del Vecchio -. The racing world has always tested technological improvements for the mass market. Cutting-edge solutions such as those applied in the RaceBird could, in cascade, touch the world of pleasure boats and reduce pollution from internal combustion engines. The presence of a male driver and a female driver competing on the same level was also an incentive. Finally, being present as a sponsor in the first electric powerboat world championship opens a new window of promotion and international relations for the initiatives of my family office LMDV Capital”.
Will Smith, Westbrook Racing team owner, said: “As a racing fan, the opportunity to be part of the E1 fleet and play a role in realizing its larger vision was something I couldn’t pass up. The entire Westbrook team is truly excited to bring Westbrook Racing to the water and join such an amazing group for this race.” Alshair Fiyaz, Monaco-based investor and owner of the Polo Club de Saint Tropez, who has substantial credentials in sustainable urban real estate development, said: “I have been involved in the world of competitive sport all my life. When the opportunity to join another team arose, I had no doubts about my support. The E1 Series Blue Impact initiative addresses the challenges of coastal waste management in some of the world’s most iconic urban locations.”
Del Vecchio, Smith, Fiyaz and Chiabra’s investment in an E1 team adds to an impressive list of team owners in the league, which includes tennis legend Rafael Nadal, soccer icon Tom Brady, international DJ Steve Aoki, football superstar Didier Drogba, philanthropist and businessman Marcelo Claure, cricketer Virat Kohli, F1 hero Sergio Perez and Grammy-winning musician Marc Anthony. “I am thrilled to join this extraordinary adventure within the E1 Series – concludes Tommaso Chiabra -. This sport, full of adrenaline, will take us to different cities around the world, spreading awareness about electric and sustainable mobility. Together with extraordinary partners such as Will Smith, Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio and Alshair Fiyaz we firmly believe in the importance of promoting a greener future through the excitement and innovation that only sport can offer. This is more than a competition; it is an opportunity to inspire global change towards more sustainable practices.”