Roc Nation is diving into uncharted waters — literally. The global entertainment and sports powerhouse has teamed up with the UIM E1 World Championship, the world’s first all-electric raceboat series, ahead of its highly anticipated Miami stop on Nov. 7– 8.
The partnership was spotlighted during an exclusive press event on Oct. 30 at Roc Nation’s New York headquarters, hosted in collaboration with Roc Nation Sports International.
The afternoon featured a guided tour of the office, a showcase of E1 content and a fireside chat moderated by Lori York, Roc Nation’s executive vice president of TV & Film, alongside E1 CEO Rodi Basso and E1 pilot Dani Clos.
For Roc Nation, the partnership with E1 is a natural fit. The company’s influence in sports, entertainment and global culture aligns seamlessly with the championship’s goal of turning electric racing into a mainstream spectacle — one that merges speed, innovation and sustainability on a global scale.
“First of all, I am a racer and I found the same spirit in Roc Nation when I first met them,” Basso said. “The drive and the energy of Roc Nation is a racing energy. So I found straightaway an immediate meeting point between us.”
Launched in 2024, E1 is now entering its second season as the world’s first all-electric raceboat championship. The series has taken its high-speed hydrofoil vessels — known as RaceBirds — to iconic waterfronts from Monaco to Jeddah, and now Miami.
Each of the nine teams features both a male and female pilot competing on equal terms, with 18 racers in total representing a diverse mix of seasoned motorsport veterans and rising stars trained through the E1 Pilot Academy.
“With E1, we get to discover the world in many aspects,” Clos said. “It is not only about racing; everything that E1 is moving and creating around the sport is fantastic.”
The championship is also defined by its star power. Teams are owned by some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment, including LeBron James, Will Smith, Rafael Nadal, Tom Brady and Steve Aoki, each lending their voice and vision to bring marine racing to a wider audience.
Among them is Dani Clos, a former Formula 1 test driver and pilot for Team Aoki, owned by global music icon Steve Aoki.
“With E1 we get to discover the world in many aspects,” Clos told Fox Sports Radio’s Kelsey Nicole Nelson, who conducted exclusive interviews with both Basso and Clos at Roc Nation’s New York headquarters. “It is not only about racing. Everything that E1 is moving and creating around the sport is fantastic.”
Clos, a father of a four-year-old, said the experience has made him even more aware of the importance of the sport’s sustainability mission.
“I want to make sure that people get to know the sport and what it represents,” Clos said. “It’s about racing, it’s about excitement, but it’s also about sustainability and taking care of our planet. Many of us don’t have that knowledge of what’s going on in the water and a big percent of the world is water.”
He added, “I’ve always been passionate about the water and diving, but now I feel more responsible to send this message to the younger generations to be more aware of the seas, because in the end, it’s our lives.”
As E1 prepares for its Miami finale, the competition is notably fierce.
“We’ve won two races,” Clos said. “We have a very good team all around, but next weekend is going to be something interesting because some of us are very hungry for the win. I come from a world that is at the top level of motorsports, and of course, I come to E1 with the same type of hunger.”
From studying currents, winds and water temperatures to navigating the busy Miami waterfront, including the presence of massive cruise ships, pilots must adapt to some of the most unpredictable race conditions in sport.
For E1 CEO Rodi Basso, Miami marks both a challenge and a celebration.
“Season two has been a challenging season just because you need to prove to everyone that you can keep growing and you can build interest — and so far, it has just been amazing,” Basso said.
As the championship’s season finale, the Miami Grand Prix carries extra weight.
“Miami is a very important venue and area of the world for us,” Basso said. “We will try our best to deliver an amazing sports and entertainment experience during the day, but also after the event.”
Four teams remain in contention for the world championship title and thousands of fans are expected to gather along the Miami waterfront for the finale.
The event will also include leadership panels, fan activities, and what Basso called “an incredible surprise” on Saturday, Nov. 8. Fans can catch the race live on CBS and Paramount+.
A veteran engineer and innovator, Basso helped design and build the E1 RaceBirds himself.
Each boat runs on clean electric propulsion and hydrofoil technology, using data-driven systems to optimize speed and energy efficiency.
“There is a lot of data involved within the boats — it’s a very data-driven sport,” Basso said.
Reflecting on the series’ global growth, Basso said E1’s expansion into Africa earlier this year was a defining moment.
“I’m extremely proud of what we did in Lagos with our local partners and local governments,” Basso said. “We’ve been an icebreaker, if I may say. I’ll be extremely proud if the sport continues to go more international. We want to inspire and offer a good time to people because there’s so much happening in the continent in terms of evolution for the future — and sport is the best drive for change.”
With Roc Nation’s creative influence, E1’s technological vision and the world’s most recognizable team owners behind it, the all-electric championship is redefining the future of motorsport: electric, inclusive, and powered by purpose.
Listen to the full interviews with Rodi Basso and Dani Clos on “Listen With KNN” hosted by Kelsey Nicole Nelson, available on Fox Sports Radio 1340 AM/96.9 FM YouTube Channel.
Photo credit: Fox Sports Radio photographer Joy Washington
