If you want to know what trying too hard in Formula 1 looks like – take a glimpse of the Miami Grand Prix – with their blue plastic wrap for water and plywood dock, a slap in the face of all that is glorious about Monaco.
For the uber rich and obsessively compulsive luxury shoppers, the Monaco Grand Prix is a chance for them to flaunt their wealth in front of socialites, wealthy business people, celebrities and other athletes.
Some of the drivers on the grid, who live in Monaco, also take the opportunity to flex with their yachts docked in arguably the world’s most expensive marina.
One common trend that has taken the internet by storm in recent years is the practice whereby yacht owners place one of their absurdly expensive sports cars on the nose section of the boat.
One of the most iconic pictures in modern day Monaco, which clearly exhibits the excessive wealth concentrated in the area during a race weekend, is the picture of the Ferrari F40 perched atop a multi-million dollar yacht in 2023.
The owner of the yacht crane-lifted the F40 – Lewis Hamilton’s favourite car – onto the nose section just to flex on onlookers during the most glamorous F1 race on the calendar.
There was also the other yacht owner that parked his Bugatti Chiron at the rear end of a ‘mothersize’ yacht.
No doubt the Bugatti is a more advanced, faster and expensive vehicle than the F40 – but the edged out lines on the iconic 90’s supercar just feels at home in Monaco.
Eccentric billionaires won’t be the only ones flexing this year, however, as four-time champion Max Verstappen is docking his $13.6M Mangusta Gransport 33-metre yacht on the waters of Monte Carlo this year.
Verstappen, and about 11 other drivers in the paddock, call Monaco a home away from home.
So, why Monaco? Well, besides the picturesque views, rolling hills to cycle through and year round good weather, there’s also ZERO INCOME TAX.
When you’re an F1 driver with a superstar status like Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton, the dollars roll in thick and fast.
Monaco is a sure fire way for drivers to keep their government’s hands out of their bank accounts.
Tax breaks aside, the biggest flex Monaco has ever seen was by Kimi Raikkonen during his McLaren years.
The McLaren had suffered mechanical failure, forcing Raikkonen to make an early exit.
But instead of going back to the paddock, he pulled the car over and walked back to his yacht that was docked in the marina nearby.
He watched the rest of the race aboard his yacht.
