His Serene Highness Prince Albert II was present in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on January 24th, to support Team Monaco as the all-electric E1 World Championship launched its 2026 season, marking the Principality’s official entry into the series…
The Sovereign Prince unveiled Team Monaco’s electric RaceBird last year, underlining Monaco’s commitment to innovation and ocean sustainability. Co-founded by Monaco resident Chris Taylor and 11-time world kite foil champion Maxime Nocher, Team Monaco will raced under number 98, the country code of the Principality, and aims to align its sporting ambitions with the environmental missions of the Prince Albert II Foundation and the Princess Charlene Foundation. While 2026 will be a learning year, the team has made clear its goal is to fight for podium finishes as quickly as possible.
On the water, Aoki Racing Team dominated the season opener, with Sara Misir and Dani Clos winning both Finals to secure maximum points and claim the Jeddah Grand Prix. Team Brady, backed by Tom Brady, finished second overall, while Team AlUla completed the podium.
Team Monaco took ninth place overall, collecting valuable championship points in a highly competitive field that includes teams owned by global sports and entertainment figures. Despite the challenging debut, the presence of the Prince in the paddock and the strong identity of the team reinforced Monaco’s growing role in electric marine sport.
The championship will now head to other international host cities, including Monaco this summer, where racing will return to Port Hercule, the spiritual home of the Principality’s E1 ambitions.
Images: Prince’s Palace IG
