The UIM E1 World Championship may still be in its infancy having only launched in 2024, but for pilots Lucas Ordóñez and Catie Munnings there is already plenty to set the all-electric raceboat series apart from more traditional forms of motorsport as it stages the fifth event on the 2026 calendar in Luanda, Angola this weekend.

There are several unique features about the series as the boats can reach speeds of around 100 kilometres per hour while appearing to fly above the water, and have male and female pilots competing against one another.

For Team Westbrook pilot Ordóñez, who comes from a motorsport background, the combination of speed and close racing provides an immediate attraction.

“It is a really exciting sport and it is still very new. We have superstars coming to every race to support the different teams, and it is super cool to watch these RaceBirds flying around the world,” Ordóñez says. “It is a really exciting spectacle to watch.

“From a pilot’s point of view, it is amazing. You feel like you are flying on top of the water. We reach a maximum speed of around 100 kilometres per hour, which is a lot when you are on the water.

“At the same time, you are fighting against another boat and there can be contact at the starts, so it is really, really exciting.”

That physical challenge is something Ordóñez believes can sometimes be underestimated.

“I would describe myself as a bit of both (pilot and athlete). We are pilots, but we are also athletes because we have to train to be fit and be able to perform under a lot of pressure,” he says.

“At some races, like Monaco, the heat can be crazy. It can get up to around 55 degrees inside the cockpit, so you have to be very fit to cope with that through every heat.”

Munnings has made an even more unlikely transition to racing on water having built her career in rallying.
“I never thought I would become a boat racer coming from the world of rallying,” she says. “Sometimes when you are racing it just comes naturally because you still have a steering wheel and pedals, but then you remember how much the journey has evolved and how amazing it is that we have all come from such different backgrounds.”

That mix of disciplines across the E1 paddock has become one of the series’ strengths, with pilots bringing experience from different areas of motorsport and water racing.

“It is really interesting working with people from different sports because everyone brings a fresh perspective and different tips and tricks that you might not have thought about,” Munnings says.

“I have had teammates from rallycross and Formula 1 powerboat racing, and you learn little things from each of them.

“I also think we can bring knowledge from land-based motorsport into water racing that perhaps has not been there before, so it is a really nice combination.”

The biggest adjustment for Munnings has been the racing surface itself. Unlike a traditional circuit, water is constantly moving and changing, providing another variable for the pilots to understand.

“Racing on water is completely unique. One of the biggest things I have had to learn coming from car racing is how to understand the swells, the currents and the different waves and wakes from other boats,” she says.

“Those are things I had never had to read before, so you rely a lot on the team around you for information while you are learning.”

The boats are at their most spectacular in calmer conditions, where the hydrofoil technology allows them to rise above the surface.

“These boats are really designed to run on flat water rather than very rough conditions,” Munnings says.
“When you come to a location like this (Luanda), where the water is almost like a lake, the boats are able to fly and perform at their best.”

But the transition to water racing comes with challenges that extend beyond learning how to control the boat.

Before pilots are even allowed to compete, they must prove they can escape from an overturned cockpit underwater.

“I actually think getting your licence is one of the hardest parts because you have to do a dunk test,” Munnings says.

“They put you in a cockpit in a swimming pool, strap you in with your helmet and neck restraint, flip you upside down and you have to prove that you will not panic and that you can release the harness and get yourself out.

“It feels completely unnatural and it is very stressful. You have to do it every year, and I think most of the pilots would agree that it is one of the most challenging parts.”
Once on the water, however, the competition is fierce.

“It is definitely very competitive. Like any form of motorsport, whatever you are doing, you want to win,” Munnings says.

“Everyone here comes from different areas of sport and brings that competitive edge. It becomes even more interesting because we are all in equal machinery and can only make small changes to try to find an advantage.”

E1 also has a different dynamic within each team. Two pilots share the same boat and compete towards a collective result, placing an emphasis on cooperation that is not always found in other motorsport categories.

“Within the team it is very unique because you have two teammates competing in the same boat towards the same goal,” Munnings says.

“You can really help each other, and the more information you share, the better the team is going to perform.

“That is quite different from many other forms of motorsport, where your teammate is often your competitor as well.”

For Ordóñez, there is an added incentive as Team Westbrook battles for the championship.

“We are currently second in the championship. Team Brady are leading, but we are close behind and we have already won two races this year,” he says.

“We are ready to keep fighting until the final race of the season. It is a great opportunity for Team Westbrook to challenge for the championship, and we are going to give our best.”