Monaco Grand Prix week has always been a competition of excess as much as speed, but this year the battle for attention drifted from the pit lane to the harbor. Towering above the waterline was a spectacle that seemed designed specifically for the social media age. An unusual trio featuring an Audi Formula 1 car, a Koenigsegg Jesko hypercar, and a monumental automotive sculpture was carefully craned aboard a $75 million superyacht and transformed into a floating exhibition of modern luxury.
Monaco-based luxury marketer Tom Claeren orchestrated the installation through his Ultimate Superyacht platform, according to a report by Motorsport.com. Rather than simply displaying expensive machinery, Claeren assembled what amounted to a curated gallery of speed. The Audi represented the world of Formula 1, the Koenigsegg embodied the pinnacle of hypercar engineering, and the sculpture brought an artistic interpretation of motion into the mix. Together, they turned one of Monaco’s most prominent yachts into one of the most talked-about attractions of Grand Prix week.
A floating gallery of speed
The centerpiece of the display was the 236-foot superyacht Stella Maris, a 72.1-meter vessel built by Viareggio SuperYachts and designed by celebrated yacht designer Espen Øino. With an estimated value of around $75 million, the yacht hardly needed additional decoration, yet its scale and layout made it the perfect stage for the activation. Stella Maris offers accommodation for 12 guests across seven cabins and is served by a crew of 19. Onboard amenities include a full spa, gym, beach club, winter garden, two swimming pools, and one particularly important feature for this project: a certified commercial helipad. While many yachts feature touch-and-go landing areas, Stella Maris has a properly certified helideck, making it ideally suited to support the weight of a multimillion-dollar hypercar.
That hypercar was a Koenigsegg Jesko, believed by several observers to be a Jesko Absolut. The Swedish machine was placed prominently on the helipad, occupying the yacht’s most visible position and serving as the visual crown jewel of the display. With a 5.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 producing 1,280 horsepower on regular fuel and as much as 1,600 horsepower on E85, the Jesko ranks among the most extreme road cars ever built. Production is limited to just 125 examples, making it rarer than many of the watches worn by the yacht owners and collectors who descend on Monaco each year.
Positioned lower on the yacht’s beach club deck was an Audi Revolut Formula 1 show car. While not believed to be an active race chassis, its presence carried considerable symbolism. Audi entered Formula 1 as a full works team in 2026 following its takeover of Sauber, making this Monaco appearance one of the brand’s most visible lifestyle statements since joining the championship.
Completing the trio was a striking Formula 1 sculpture by French artist Antoine Dufilho. Known for his flowing automotive works inspired by architecture and motion, Dufilho’s creation elevated the display beyond a collection of expensive objects. The yacht was not carrying two vehicles and a decoration. It was carrying three distinct interpretations of speed.
Monaco’s newest luxury tradition
The display also highlights a growing trend among luxury brands and event organizers. Increasingly, superyachts are becoming floating showrooms during Monaco’s biggest events.
Claeren himself helped establish the template. During last year’s Monaco Grand Prix, he placed an ultra-rare McLaren Solus GT on the helipad of the 197-foot superyacht Sarasota, creating one of the harbor’s most photographed moments. Elsewhere, Aston Martin showcased its Valhalla supercar aboard Amels’ flagship superyacht Here Comes the Sun during the 2025 Monaco Yacht Show.
What began as attention-grabbing marketing has evolved into a new form of luxury theater. In a principality already overflowing with supercars and superyachts, simply owning one is no longer enough. The challenge now is finding increasingly imaginative ways to combine them. This year, Stella Maris provided the answer by becoming a floating Grand Prix gallery where Formula 1, hypercar engineering, contemporary art, and yacht culture converged in a single unforgettable scene.
