A spectacular showcase of the electric powerboat E1 series has taken place on the Thames as plans are stepped up for London to hold a race.
The electric raceboats combine fully electric propulsion with pioneering hydrofoil technology to "fly" above the water at speeds of more than 55mph.
The UIM E1 World Championship sees nine teams racing in the specially created E1 RaceBirds - across four continents.
It features teams owned by stars including Will Smith, LeBron James and Rafael Nadal.
The event on the Thames on Wednesday morning was a showcase that organisers hope strengthen their case to one day hold a race in the capital.
“We love these kind of iconic places. We also love to invite international guests to come to our races because that’s also perceived as a great value for our state stakeholders,” said E1 CEO Rodi Basso.
“It would be amazing to race here. Let’s say that we feel a light, gentle pressure in this short run that we are doing tomorrow [Wednesday], because I think we will be watched and observed to understand the impact. We are very close to the local authorities.
“London is not even England, it’s not even Europe; London is the world. It’s a super iconic city. The creative industry in England is huge. So it makes a lot of sense.”
E1 is currently around the mid-point of the seven-race 2025 season, with the London Showrun taking place off the back of a landmark partnership deal with Bombay Sapphire.
Following the departure of the E1 RaceBirds from London, they will be migrating to Monaco, the iconic home of racing, for the Championship’s fifth race.
