Monaco Historic Grand Prix yacht charter.

Monaco Historic Grand Prix yacht charter — the quieter Monaco race

The Grand Prix de Monaco Historique is the biennial classic-car counterpart to the F1 Monaco Grand Prix. Held two weeks before the F1 race on the same street circuit, it draws a collector-focused, quieter and more knowledgeable audience — and, for yacht charter, offers materially better availability and pricing than the F1 weekend itself.

For clients who want the Monaco race-circuit experience — a yacht moored inside Port Hercule with a stern view of the harbour chicane, engine notes rolling off the buildings, the paddock a five-minute walk from the passerelle — the Historic is a distinct and often better weekend than the F1.

Luxury Yacht Charter Monaco arranges yacht charter for the Historic Grand Prix on a small, curated fleet of motor yachts, superyachts and classic yachts. Below is how the weekend works, what a Historic GP yacht charter costs, and why it deserves consideration in its own right — not as a second-choice F1.

Historic vs F1 — the four material differences

1. Rate. Yacht charter for the Historic Grand Prix runs 40–60% below the F1 weekend for the same yacht. A 40m motor yacht that carries a €400,000/week F1 premium sits at €180,000–€230,000 for the Historic — closer to a standard summer week.

2. Berth availability. Port Hercule is fully committed nine to twelve months out for F1. For the Historic, quality berths inside the port and on the T-Jetty remain available three to six months out. Larger yachts (60m+) can still be placed inside Port Hercule for the Historic; they typically cannot for F1.

3. Audience. Collectors, historic-racing entrants, marque owners and enthusiasts. Fewer corporate hospitality briefs, more private-collector family briefs. A different social framework and, for many clients, a more enjoyable one.

4. Racing calendar. Practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday, six races on Sunday spanning cars from the 1920s through the 1970s — pre-war Grand Prix cars, 1950s Formula 2, 1961–65 Grand Prix, 1966–72 F1, 1973–76 F1. The weekend is denser and more varied than the F1 single-race Sunday.

Yachts that suit the Historic weekend

25–35m modern motor yachts. The Sunseeker / Riva / Sanlorenzo / Azimut fleet inside Port Hercule. Twelve or fewer guests, moored on Quai Antoine 1er, Quai des États-Unis or Quai Rainier III with a stern view of Tabac and the Piscine.

40–60m superyachts. Full hospitality format for 30–80 day-guests. Moored on the T-Jetty with a direct view of the harbour chicane. Rate is materially lower than F1 weekend but the experience of the paddock walk and the harbour-side viewing is identical.

Classic and heritage yachts. Restored 1960s and 1970s motor yachts (some Feadship, Camper & Nicholsons and Benetti Sail Division hulls), and modern classics from Perini Navi, Baltic, Vitters. The aesthetic pairs beautifully with the cars. We can shortlist classic-yacht options as a specific brief.

Long-week charters. Because the Historic runs early May, it pairs naturally with a week-long charter that continues west to Saint-Tropez or east to Portofino once the race weekend ends — the Mediterranean is fully open by then and the fleet is available.

Historic Grand Prix yacht charter — pricing

25–35m motor yacht, race weekend (Fri–Sun): €40,000–€90,000 for the three-day weekend on the yacht plus APA and dockage.

35–50m motor yacht, race weekend: €90,000–€180,000 for the weekend.

50–70m superyacht, race weekend: €180,000–€400,000 for the weekend.

Full week (five days pre-race + weekend): essentially the standard weekly rate for the yacht, plus a modest event premium of 15–30%. This is materially better value than treating it as a three-day event charter.

Classic yacht premium: heritage yachts typically carry a 10–20% premium over an equivalent-length modern yacht due to smaller fleet size and higher maintenance overhead.

All rates add APA (25–35% of base), VAT where applicable, and gratuity (typically 5–15% at the client's discretion). For full context see Monaco yacht charter prices.