Drogba, Kohli, LeBron, Nadal – why big names are investing in powerboat racing

Didier Drogba is a member of what might be the world’s greatest sporting WhatsApp group.

Along with fellow global icons Tom Brady, LeBron James, Virat Kohli and Rafael Nadal – as well as actor Will Smith – the former Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker owns a team in E1 Series, the world’s first all-electric international powerboat racing competition.

Having taken to the waves last year, E1 is nearing the chequered flag on its second season and is about to pay its first visit to Africa, with Lagos’ lagoon set to host the nine teams over the weekend of 4-5 October.

“When we decided to jump on the journey with E1, the main goal was always ‘let’s bring the race to Africa’,” Drogba told BBC Sport Africa.

“We want people to discover our culture, to discover our history. That’s why Lagos is for us a good choice, because it’s a vibrant city.”

Drogba’s partner Gabrielle Lemaire, who is a co-investor in their team, also believes Nigeria’s largest city fits the bill.

“The people are very young and it’s an opportunity for us to advocate for sustainability,” said the entrepreneur and vice president of the Didier Drogba Foundation.

Billing itself on its website as “pioneering a sustainable future in marine sports”, E1 claims to “regenerate coastal waters through innovative clean technologies”.

Venice, Monaco, Dubrovnik, Doha and Lake Como in Italy are among the venues so far visited by E1, with Miami scheduled to round off this season.

It also aims to promotes gender equality, with every team consisting of one female and one male pilot.

“As a symbol it is really strong to show that men and women can do sports,” said Lemaire.

“We would like to advocate for this, for the young people, for the young ladies to understand how important it is today.

“It’s not only a sport that we’re talking about here.”

Competitors come from a variety of motorsport backgrounds, exemplified by Team Drogba’s line-up.

Teenage British powerboat champion Oban Duncan is partnered with Micah Wilkinson, who won sailing bronze for New Zealand at last year’s Olympic Games.

Duncan is the youngest pilot in E1, but Drogba says he has built a strong relationship with the 19-year-old.

“Oban is full of talent but her confidence was a bit low,” he revealed.

“I said ‘We put our trust in you, we are behind you, and you’re a superstar because you race with a lot of energy, a lot of enthusiasm’.

“I’m really happy with her because she applies the same principle that I used to apply during my career: give everything, do your best.”

Despite Duncan’s young age, Drogba and Lemaire are already looking to the future, hoping the upcoming race in Lagos might inspire African talent.

“This is the goal, to be able to have African people interested in the sport, interested in sustainability, in racing, in discovering new cultures,” explained Drogba.

“I think this is the opportunity for young people who want to succeed, who want to become a part of the E1 team.

“We would love to have an African pilot. It would mean a lot to us.”

Despite a glittering career which saw Drogba win four Premier League titles and the Champions League with Chelsea, the two-time African Footballer of the Year has so far decided against a move into coaching.

But the 47-year-old says he is now channelling the leadership qualities of his former coaches and team-mates into his new position.

“I’m lucky to have had a diversity of managers, a diversity of knowledge, and I learned a lot.

“Even players who showed great leadership, like John Terry, Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Petr Cech – all these guys.

“I try to be like a sponge and take the best out of them, as a leader trying to reproduce it, but in my own way.”

While competition in E1 is fierce on the water, it is just as intense away from it, according to a smiling Drogba.

“I decided not to bring too much of my competitiveness, otherwise I will destroy them like I destroyed all the strikers I was in competition with,” he laughed when discussing his rivalry with the other owners.

“These guys are really nasty on this WhatsApp group.

“I thought Rafa [Nadal] was a nice guy, always gentle, polite. But I’ve read what he said a few times and I’m not happy about it so I will have to change gears.”

With DJ Steve Aoki and Puerto Rican singer Marc Anthony, huge names in North America and beyond, also team owners, the rivalry between the stars is clearly one of E1’s biggest draws.

It has led organisers to target a valuation of £500m ($675m) for the competition in the next five years.

“It can only grow with the energy that all the owners are putting in,” said Drogba.

“When we first started, I think it was me, Rafa, Marc and Steve.

“Now the list is becoming bigger with Tom Brady, Will Smith, LeBron James. Hopefully we’ll have a female owner too because this is really important.”

Also on Drogba’s list is a race in Ivory Coast, with Abidjan a likely venue because of its lagoon which mirrors Lagos’ waterways.

“There’s some technical specifications that you must require to organise the race, but I think we have everything here [Abidjan] to host,” he added.

“We proved it with the Africa Cup of Nations. This is something that must happen.”