Dani Clos’ story has come full circle. Fourteen years ago, he was going wheel-to-wheel with Sergio Perez on the iconic streets of Monaco in Formula 1’s feeder series, GP2. Now, he’s racing again in the principality – this time in the waters of the iconic Port Hercules. And not against Perez, but for him.

The Spaniard is one of two drivers for Team Sergio Perez, one of nine teams in the new E1 Series, an all-electric hydrofoil boat championship set up by the same minds behind Formula E and Extreme E. For Clos, racing X-wing-like boats that glide through the water using foils means a very different career to the one he envisioned in 2010.

“It’s crazy! It’s a great opportunity,” the former karter and race car driver tells Express Sport. “I really love the sea. I really love the water. I’ve been interested in boats for many years but I’ve never raced boats. It’s great to find myself racing in E1.

“I saw it on social media when they started promoting the series. There were no drivers but there was a moment when it caught my attention and it was all just a coincidence. I was racing against Checo in GP2 and it all happened very easily and naturally.”

Clos’s journey from planning to working with Perez to beat him is a unique story he can tell. It was at that race in Monaco 14 years ago that Perez, now a Red Bull driver in F1, took his first GP2 win at the age of 20. Clos started on pole but the Barcelona-born racer had to settle for P3 behind Pastor Maldonado.

“I really enjoy it here in Monaco. I got pole and podium with Sergio when we were racing in GP2,” he added. “We raced against each other and now to be together, with the team, is great. It’s a great situation. It’s an honour for me to be with a character like Sergio, trying to support his team.

“I’m so grateful to be able to be involved in this series and drive in this series.” Also soaking up the sun in Monaco’s La Condamine district for the fourth race of E1’s inaugural season are NFL icon Tom Brady and Chelsea football legend Didier Drogba, both of whom have opposing teams competing against Team Perez.

Checo was unfortunately too busy to join them on the French Riviera. He ran his own race the same weekend, finishing eighth in the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. “It’s been tough for him because he’s been active,” says Clos, and the Mexican has so far missed any of the E1 events in Jeddah, Venice, Puerto Banus or Monaco.

“The F1 calendar is very, very tight. I know that because I’ve been there. When you have a weekend off, you just want to relax, you don’t want to go to another race and all that. I know he would be here if he had the chance.”

So how different is racing in 50mph boats to racing in GP2 cars, which were previously capable of speeds of almost 200mph? “It’s racing,” he continues. “The mental side is the same. It’s true that the driving style and the water is not the same as the tarmac. We have water, wind and current. It’s a bit difficult.

“There’s a different style and a lot more speed on the tarmac. Right now these boats are very powerful but we can still get a lot more speed. I’m used to something more powerful. I have to adapt myself and my riding style to be super smooth on this one and get the most out of it.”

So how big could the E1 be? At its heart is a deeper desire to promote sustainability and protect the planet’s oceans. Its quiet, fully electric boats don’t disturb marine life and produce zero emissions, while the buoys used to mark the circuit are GPS-powered rather than using anchors that disrupt the seabed.

Clos adds: “E1 could be the top of the pyramid in this respect, with Formula E. It’s more environmentally friendly with water. The organisers have done well. They haven’t just brought in good drivers like me with good numbers on social media. The team owners are very special people around them.

“That makes the show so exciting and so appealing to so many different types of people. I want to be here for a long time. I really enjoy being a part of this project. I love water, I care about the environment. It’s something that’s important for all of us to understand and give our voice to to help save the planet.

“My goal is to help the championship and my team grow. In the end, I want good results. I come here to race – that’s my main goal. But the better we are on the track, the bigger things we can achieve off the track.”

So, with his boss in F1, does Clos still follow the sport he has never been able to break into? Speaking on Saturday of the Belgian GP weekend, he says: “Of course! I’ve always been interested in F1, I love those cars, I love the speed. F1 is always a beautiful spectacle.

“Even though we were here, we were watching the qualifying in Spa, so we had a good day. Checo is P2, so that’s positive.” Unfortunately, Sunday was not so positive for Perez and Clos.

Checo started the race in second place but finished eighth in Spa, while Clos was not on the E1 Monaco podium, unlike in 2010. The pity for Perez is that the E1 team is not doing much better than he did in F1. They are ninth out of nine teams and have just 13 points.

E1 league leaders Team Brady have only picked up 21 points from the Monaco GP and are on 63 points overall. But with races in Lake Como (August 24) and Hong Kong (November 10) still to come, perhaps Clos and female teammate Vicky Piria can help the team finish its first season on top.

There’s work to be done for Team Perez, both on the water and on the asphalt. If things don’t improve enough in both sports over the next few weeks and months, you can expect some shortages in Checo’s personal supply of Patron Tequila…