Team Miami overcome challenging conditions to win E1 Puerto Banus GP & storm to top of championship
by E1 Series 2 Jun 2024 19:52 UTC
UIM E1 World Championship © Adam Pigott
The UIM E1 World Championship event in Spain's beautiful Puerto Banus, Marbella, concluded with legendary singer Marc Anthony's Team Miami, piloted by Swede Erik Stark and American Anna Glennon, crowned race winners.
The third leg of the 2024 E1 Championship drew thousands of spectators to the crystal blue waters and blistering sunshine of Puerto Banus to watch on as the E1 RaceBird pilots competed amidst increasingly choppy waters.
The final day of the captivating event began with an all-team parade showcasing the RaceBird technology to fans and VIPs in the luxurious seaview Ocean Club - the only smooth sailing of the day.
Choppy waters led to tense racing, after two-time event winners Team Brady were eliminated on qualifying day due to a power-outage in Semi Final 3. The drama continued in Final Race 1 with the nose of Team Blue Rising detaching from the hull during fierce racing, forcing them to pull out of Final 2, but securing fourth position overall.
To add to the theatre, Team Brazil's Catie Munnings suffered the same fate as Team Blue Rising, with the boat also sustaining race-ending damage to it's front crumple zone, while Westbrook Racing stalled mid-race before crossing the line in second place.
Team Miami's Erik Stark continued on his charge to victory through superb piloting and control over bumpy waters, delivering his team's first top-podium spot, and securing the overall lead of the championship.
Rodi Basso, CEO and co-founder of E1 said: "Puerto Banus has certainly been a championship of drama despite the serene Spanish surroundings. Racing has been closer than ever, we had some surprise results, and it was a delight to see the shoreline packed with over ten thousand fans over the weekend. It's such a testament to the resilience and skill of the Team Pilots that they were able to adjust and navigate the difficulties to produce an epic spectacle. Huge congratulations to Team Miami on their greatly-deserved victory today, and thank you to both the CEO of Puerto Banus Juan Núñez Insausti and the Mayor of Marbella María Ángeles Muñoz for making this event possible."
Opening the weekend, Marc Anthony performed to a sell out crowd at the official E1 pre-race concert as part of this History Touria in Marbella. The top selling salsa artist of all time - boasting four-time Grammy Award, eight-time Latin Grammy Award and twenty-nine-time Lo Nuestro Awards winner - stayed over the weekend to support his Team Miami as they battled it out on the water, securing the top spot on the winner's podium.