Team Brady claimed the winner’s trophy at the inaugural UIM E1 World Championship Luanda Grand Prix on Sunday as pilot Emma Kimiläinen stormed to victory in the final to open up a 40-point lead at the top of the championship table.
Kimiläinen and fellow pilot Sam Coleman have claimed the title in the last two seasons since the championship was launched in 2024, and will be red-hot favourites going into the double-header in Miami on November 13 and 14 that will decide this year’s winners.
They took 38 points from their win, with Team Monaco finishing second for a haul of 30 points, while Team Rafa, owned by tennis great Rafael Nadal, earned 24 points for third. It was a first podium finish of the season for the latter two.
It means the team owned by former American Football star Tom Brady have 157 points after this weekend, with their lead extended following a disastrous Sunday for second-placed Team Westbrook Racing by Visit Angola, who suffered a mechanical fault on their race boat that meant they did not feature in the final.
That could end their challenge this season as they are on 117 points, with AOKI Racing Team a distant third on 86.
“Teamwork is always our secret, and never giving up until the race is finished,” a champagne-drenched Kimiläinen told SuperSport.com. “There are multiple races to execute and we had great strategies from the team, but the mindset is always to be fiercely competitive and find that last chance or opportunity wherever it is.
“Sam did an amazing job in both of his races and showed that we have good speed in the boat. Here we are on the podium and leading the championship, so it’s a great result.”
Kimiläinen admits they benefited from penalties handed to Team AOKI in the final that meant they had additional long laps to complete.
“We executed the start, we had a plan and we did exactly what we needed to do. After that it was about controlling the race,” she said. “AOKI had penalties and long laps, but their wake caught us because we were stuck behind it and that slows the boat down quite a lot.
“I was still managing it and trying to keep up the speed. I knew it was going to be really tight at the end, but then I saw them and knew, ‘I’ve got this.’”
Coleman says the flat conditions in Luanda helped the team reach the speeds that secured their victory.
“We’ve had a lot of rough races this year, but this is a really flat one, so the boats are running very quickly. It’s been a different challenge and we’re really happy with how we adapted to it,” he said.
“It’s been really interesting and really cool to be here and see a little bit of Angola and Luanda. It’s been a great race site and the people are so friendly,” he added.
“The food has been great. We’re both foodies, so food is pretty important to us! The vibes are great, it’s been really enjoyable to be here and the welcome has been fantastic.”
Kimiläinen promised they will not let their guard down going into the Miami double-header.
“We need to fight for every single point,” she said. “We can never give up or assume anything. We just have to keep fighting.”