Rafael Nadal to lock horns against $1.2 billion-worth LeBron James and $512 million-worth Tom Brady in water racing tournament in Qatar

Rafael Nadal, owner of Team Rafa in the E1 Series, is all set to battle it out against fellow legends of the sporting world in LeBron James and Tom Brady in the E1 Doha GP. $1.2 billion-worth James and $512 million-worth Brady (as per Forbes) own Team AIUIa and Team Brady respectively.

On Monday, February 17, the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of the E1 Series shared a post featuring a promotional picture of the E1 Doha GP, where teams owned by Rafael Nadal, LeBron James, Tom Brady and other high-profile athletes will battle it out for the all-electric powerboat racing championship. The post was captioned:

"🥁 We can now officially say it’s… RACE WEEK 🇶🇦⚡️9 teams. 18 pilots. And the biggest names in sports & entertainment as team owners… It’s time to make history and take electric racing to the Pearl Island 🫨 February 21-22. Don’t miss it 👊"

Rafael Nadal became an investor in the E1 electric boat racing league in early 2023 by becoming a team owner. NFL legend Tom Brady joined the former ATP No. 1 in owning an E1 Series team of his own in 2024 and earlier this year, it came to light that LeBron James followed in his compatriot and the Spaniard's footsteps.

The other high-profile team owners include DJ and record producer Steve Aoki, Indian cricketer Virat Kohli, entrepreneur Marcelo Claure, soccer icon Didier Drogba, singer-actor Marc Anthony and actor Will Smith.

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"E1 has a clear mission" - Rafael Nadal in 2023

Rafael Nadal at a press conference at the 2024 Barcelona Open (Source: Getty)

The former ATP No. 1 and 22-time Grand Slam champion's decision to invest in the league went beyond business. In the long run, the Spaniard hopes for the investment to bring the importance of environmental restoration to the limelight and also aid in the fight against the destruction of marine ecosystems.

"I’m really excited to be getting involved with a project like E1 that values sustainability and will make a positive impact on society as a whole, especially in coastal communities. I also like the fact that E1 has a clear mission and is committed to preserving marine ecosystems. As a professional athlete, I recognise how making marginal gains has a positive impact on performance," Nadal said via a statement in January 2023.

The Spaniard called time on his illustrious tennis career at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals, bidding farewell to the sport amid tributes pouring in from his friends and rivals.