Team AlUla Championed by LeBron James has signed Nerea Martí for the upcoming UIM E1 World Championship presented by PIF (E1) race in Lagos, Nigeria (4-5 October).
Regular pilots Catie Munnings and Rusty Wyatt are unable to compete in Lagos due to previous commitments so Team AlUla has recruited Spanish racing driver Nerea Martí and Norwegian powerboat racer Andrè Solvang to step in for the penultimate round of the 2025 E1 season.
Nerea Martí began karting at the age of nine, winning regional karting championships before transitioning to the Spanish F4 Championship in 2019. From 2021-2022, Nerea competed in W Series before transitioning to the F1 Academy for the next two years with Campos Racing where she finished fourth in the overall standings. In 2025, Nerea was selected for BMW’s new customer racing development programme, the BMW M Racing Academy. She is also competing for BMW Spain in the Iberian Supercars (GT4 sub-class) series and took the win at the latest race in Valencia.
Lagos marks E1’s African debut with the all-electric E1 RaceBirds competing for outright victory on the Lagos Lagoon in the heart of the city. The E1 Lagos GP is dedicated to positioning Nigeria’s largest city as a premier destination for sustainable innovation and international sporting events.
In the overall standings, Team AlUla is currently sixth – just two points adrift of Westbrook Racing in fifth position. With three top five finishes including one podium result already this season, Team AlUla is eager to break into the top five leaderboard with two rounds and 90 points remaining.
Nerea Martí: “This is a new challenge in my racing career, and I can’t wait to face it. I’ve always raced on asphalt, so doing it on water will definitely be something thrilling. I already felt that excitement during the licence tests, and now I’m really looking forward to competing against the rest of the drivers in what I’m confident will be a great weekend for me and for the whole team. I also want to thank Team AlUla Championed by LeBron James for giving me this opportunity to compete in E1. I’ve always been committed to electric racing — it truly excites me. I already had the chance to drive a Formula E car, and now being able to race an E1 raceboat on a competition weekend will be an unforgettable experience.”
John Marlow, Team AlUla Co-Team Principal: “We’re really pleased to welcome André and Nerea to Team AlUla for the E1 Lagos GP. Nerea’s motorsport pedigree gives her a great foundation for this new challenge. With Lagos being a brand-new venue for everyone, it levels the playing field and makes for an exciting weekend ahead. After a couple of months away from racing, we’re looking forward to getting back on the water with a strong line-up.”
Barny Whitwham, Team AlUla Co-Team Principal: “With Catie and Rusty unable to compete in Lagos due to prior race commitments, we’ve secured what we believe to be an exciting line-up for this event with Nerea and Andrè. Nerea brings a wealth of single-seater and circuit racing experience. As a young team, we can only benefit from having these new perspectives and feedback. We only have a limited time on water before their first competitive E1 sessions, but it’s already clear that they are both highly professional and talented athletes and we’re working hard to deliver a strong weekend.”
About Team AlUla Championed by LeBron James
Team AlUla Championed by LeBron James was officially launched in January 2025, with the squad making its competitive debut the same month in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – the season-opener to this year’s UIM E1 World Championship presented by PIF.
Rusty Wyatt (Canada) and Catie Munnings (UK) have been enlisted to drive for the team throughout the season, the duo sharing piloting duties on the all-electric E1 RaceBird. AlUla – an ancient oasis city in Saudi Arabia with rich cultural landscapes and breathtaking landscapes – is the team’s title partner.
American professional basketball player LeBron James is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and his entry into the E1 Series extends his thirst for competition. The team adds to his expansive investment portfolio across sport and entertainment which includes stakes in Fenway Sports Group, Beats by Dre, PGA Tour Enterprises and Liverpool FC.
Team AlUla Championed by LeBron James is led by Co-Team Principals John Marlow and Barny Whitwham, who have a combined 30 years’ experience working in commercial and technical roles across blue chip organisations, Formula 1 and World Rally Championship motorsport teams. They are joined by a crew with equally strong sporting, technical and partnerships prowess across global motorsport and sports categories.
For more information, please visit www.teamalula.com
