Sergio Perez is set to become a racing team owner – but it won’t be in conventional land-based motorsport.
The Red Bull Formula 1 driver will enter a team into the UIM E1 World Championship which is planned to begin in 2023. Perez’s squad will race under the Team Mexico banner in what is being billed as the world’s first all-electric race boat championship.
Perez has taken one of the 12 available franchises to run a Mexican team in the E1 series which is the brainchild of Formula E and Extreme E co-founder Alejandro Agag and former McLaren Applied CEO Rodi Basso.
Agag ran Perez in the 2010 GP2 series via his Barwa Addax team (pictured below) where the Mexican finished as runner-up before embarking on an F1 career that has already spanned 12 seasons.
“I’m really excited at the prospect of becoming a new team owner in E1 and having a team representing Mexico in the UIM E1 World Championship,” said Perez.
“Given my relationship with Alejandro, I’ve kept a close eye on what he’s been doing and his various championships, and I think what he’s achieved with promoting more sustainable forms of motorsport is commendable.
“Seeing a racing team flying the flag for Mexico on a global stage will be amazing and I cannot wait to watch the RaceBird in action for the first time. I’ve heard lots of positive stories about the boat and the exciting sporting product E1 is trying to create for fans with city events.
“For sure this will be a great challenge in my career and a learning experience. I’m looking forward to getting started and helping to grow the fan base in Mexico and around the world.”
The UIM E1 World Championship will see crews competing in the RaceBird vessel, which is a 100 percent electric-powered boat that uses advanced hydrofoil technology, which lifts the boat above the surface of the water.
This ensures that only a proportion of the boat is in contact with the water, meaning it will race with efficient drag reduction capabilities
Identical boats for at least the first two seasons of the championship have been targeted, after which the regulations will open up to allow teams to design and develop their own electric technologies.
In the announcement, Agag recounted his long relationship with Perez, saying that he and the Red Bull driver had “remained close friends since working together during our days in GP2, where ‘Checo’ drove for my team”.
“In a funny way, it feels a bit like things have come full circle, with me hiring him as a driver and now Sergio entering a team of his own in E1.
“He’s not only an incredibly quick and talented racing driver in his own right, but he’s also clever and has all the attributes that are required to become a successful team owner.”
