Formula One mastermind Ross Brawn has inspired teams from some of London’s leading companies to raise £360,000 in just 8 months, most of which will be used to fund a new E class lifeboat for the River Thames.

The 10 teams taking part in the Brawn Lifeboat Challenge were also competing against each other – as the team that contributed the most to the total were to be taken to the European Grand Prix in Valencia as Ross's VIP guests.

The lucky racefans (and now RNLI supporters too) turned out to be from Zurich Insurance, who took on challenges including skydives, marathons and a London-to-Brighton bike race to secure their place at the top of the leaderboard.

Ross says: ‘I’m very much aware of the work of the RNLI, both in London and around the coast, and its status as an independent charity. The opportunity to be involved so closely with this new initiative, which is enabling the RNLI to put a new lifeboat on the River Thames, is something that I am incredibly proud to be associated with.’

The new E class lifeboat will be shared between Tower and Chiswick Lifeboat Stations, and we expect it to be in service early next year.