Dubrovnik’s coastline has once again become one of the most spectacular sporting stages in Europe. The Adriatic Luxury Hotels E1 Dubrovnik GP 2026 has returned to the waters in front of the historic city, bringing two days of electric powerboat racing, international teams, celebrity owners and a strong message of sustainable innovation. The event takes place on 12 and 13 June 2026, with Friday reserved for qualifying and Saturday for the finals.
Electric racing in front of the Old City
The championship, officially known as the UIM E1 World Championship, is the world’s first all-electric raceboat series. Its futuristic RaceBird powerboats are designed to rise above the surface of the sea on hydrofoils, combining speed, technology and a quieter, zero-emission approach to racing on water. The RaceBird can reach around 93 kilometres per hour, or 50 knots, making the races both technically demanding and visually striking.
For Dubrovnik, the return of E1 is more than a sporting event. After last year’s successful debut, the city is once again placing its famous seafront, stone walls and Adriatic horizon at the centre of an international race weekend. The official E1 calendar lists Dubrovnik as the third race of the 2026 season, following Jeddah and Lake Como.
Kyle Kuzma joins the Dubrovnik spectacle
Friday morning began with official training sessions in the waters off the Old City, as teams tested their electric boats, analysed sea conditions and prepared for the qualifying rounds later in the day. One of the names attracting attention off the water was Kyle Kuzma, the NBA star and co-owner of Sierra Racing Club, who followed the preparations with members of his team.
Sierra Racing Club is one of the newer high-profile teams in the championship. According to E1, the team is owned by Thibaut Courtois and Kyle Kuzma, while its pilots are Catie Munnings and Erik Stark. Munnings brings experience from Extreme E and rally competition, while Stark has a strong powerboating background, including four consecutive F2 world titles.
A championship battle with only five points between the leaders
The Dubrovnik race arrives at a particularly tense moment in the season. After the first two rounds, Angola Westbrook Racing, the team associated with Will Smith, leads the championship with 60 points. Team Brady, the defending double world champions, are just three points behind, while Aoki Racing Team sit third with 55 points. Only five points separate the top three teams, giving the Dubrovnik weekend real importance in the fight for the 2026 title.
That tight ranking gives the event an extra layer of drama. Every lap in Dubrovnik matters, not only for the race result, but for the wider championship standings. With the Old City as a backdrop and the Adriatic providing a challenging racecourse, the weekend could become one of the defining moments of the season.
What visitors can expect
The 2026 Dubrovnik event includes ten teams and 20 pilots, with each team made up of one male and one female pilot. Visitors can follow the action from the Fan Zone at Lazareti, while large video screens at Banje Beach make it easier to watch the races from the shore. The Fan Zone experience includes public viewing areas, live commentary, E1 activations, a RaceBird simulator and showboat access.
For those looking for a premium race-day experience, the E1 Ocean Club is located at Hotel Excelsior Dubrovnik, with hospitality access on Saturday, 13 June, from 11:00 to 18:00. The programme includes race viewing, food and drink, entertainment, racing simulators and behind-the-scenes moments with teams and pilots.
More than a race
E1 presents itself not only as a competition, but as a platform for the future of marine mobility. The championship’s mission is connected to the electrification of water transport, coastal regeneration and the protection of oceans and waterways. In Dubrovnik, that message is particularly visible, as a historic coastal city becomes the setting for a new generation of electric racing.
The event also includes a wider conversation about the blue economy. E1 announced that, during the Dubrovnik weekend, it would take part in the Dubrovnik Blue Economy Summit, bringing together sport, innovation, sustainability and coastal development.
Dubrovnik as a global sporting stage
The star power around E1 has become one of the championship’s strongest calling cards. Team owners connected with the series include global names from sport and entertainment, among them Will Smith, Tom Brady, LeBron James, Rafael Nadal and Steve Aoki. Their involvement has helped turn electric powerboat racing into a lifestyle-driven global sports product, one that combines competition, technology, luxury hospitality and destination promotion.
For Dubrovnik, the value is clear. The city gains another major international event outside the traditional cultural calendar, while visitors get a rare chance to see a futuristic race unfold in one of the most recognisable settings in the Mediterranean.
Dubrovnik’s second year on the E1 map
Dubrovnik first joined the E1 calendar in 2025, when the championship made its debut on the Croatian coast and placed the city alongside a growing list of international host destinations for electric marine racing. Last year’s Dubrovnik GP was won by Aoki Racing Team, owned by DJ and producer Steve Aoki, with pilots Dani Clos and Mashael Alobaidan taking victory in front of the Old City.
This year, the return of E1 confirms that Dubrovnik is becoming more than a one-time host for the championship. With its historic harbour, Adriatic racecourse and growing international audience, the city is steadily shaping its place on the global map of electric powerboat racing.
As the RaceBirds lift above the water and the championship leaders chase valuable points, the E1 Dubrovnik GP 2026 brings together everything that makes the city such a powerful stage: the sea, the stone, the spectacle and a sense that something new is happening on the Adriatic.
Photo: Ivan Pozniak
