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Music, art and auto racing came together at the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix last weekend, as the stars descended upon the famed Monte Carlo track to watch McLaren’s Lando Norris take home his maiden title on the French Riviera.
Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sanchez, Dua Lipa, Sofia Vergara, Naomi Campbell and Patrick Schwarzenegger were just some of the celebs spotted in town over F1 weekend, with a host of brands and properties activating for the race. One of the biggest parties took place on the water, with the debut of the “RD Grand Prix, A Superyacht Experience.”
RD Grand Prix
Taking over a 180-foot private superyacht in Port Hercule, the three-day affair combined live music, gastronomy and of course, a trackside viewing experience for the F1 practice sessions, qualifying and the main race. Robin Thicke kicked off the festivities with a private concert on Friday night, performing some of his biggest hits for an intimate crowd of a hundred or so VIP guests on the main deck of the yacht, including British Vogue’s Edward Enninful and event co-host Evan Ross. DJ Rampa closed out the weekend on Sunday night, playing a surprise set for partygoers that included Bezos and Sanchez. The Keinemusik artist premiered his TEILE Electronik speakers for the very first time at the event, dazzling the crowd with a set that went well into the evening hours, long after the checkered flag had been waved.
This was the first year of the RD Grand Prix experience, the brainchild of 1iota Productions founder and experiential entertainment producer, Ben Biscotti, along with nightlife and hospitality impresario, Sylvain Bitton (both pictured below with Rampa). The goal, the two tell Rolling Stone, was to bring a new type of luxury experience to F1, one where racing fans and travel wanderlusters could mingle with tech billionaires, royalty and fashion icons in a one-of-a-kind setting.
To wit: RD Grand Prix featured a day-long party on the yacht, with some guests sharing bottles of champagne on the roofdeck bar or soaking in the outdoor hot tub, while others talked business in the well-appointed living room and lounge areas below.
Conversation flowed throughout the indoor/outdoor space as easily as the pours from alcohol sponsors like RUMOR Rosé, Heavensake, Tequila Centinela, and Lewis Hamilton’s non-alcoholic agave spirit, Almave. Guests also shopped fashion pop-ups on board featuring custom merch from brands like Live Fast Die Young and Alpha Industries. And everyone was treated to a fine dining experience led by winner of The Next Iron Chef and recipient of two Michelin stars, Marc Forgione, in collaboration with HexClad. Live music soundtracked the entire weekend, with sets from Adriatique, Major League DJz, DJ Ruckus, DJ Cruz and DJ Pookie.
“We’re redefining luxury and experiential hospitality through immersive entertainment,” explains Biscotti. “With the support of both Formula 1 sponsors and a range of prestigious brands, we aim to create an unforgettable, exclusive atmosphere that will leave a lasting impression on our guests and capture the world’s attention.”
Up next for Biscotti and Bitton: the fifth annual Rosé Day Los Angeles, a celebration of all things rosé wine, which will take place on June 14.
RD Grand Prix wasn’t the only yacht activation in Monaco last weekend: a few docks down, football star Odell Beckham Jr. welcomed guests to his boat for his “FRI&NDS by Odell Beckham Jr.” activation, which brought together music and art in a lavish and intimate setting.
Joshua Sobel
The new events platform does exactly as its name suggests, bringing people together for specially curated nights of culture and content, all overseen by the NFL star. The FRI&NDS activation in Monaco welcomed guests like Devin Booker, Tyler Hoechlin and Chanel Iman as they made their way through a private yacht that was transformed into part-art gallery, part-disco and party-living room for the night.
The evening featured performances from DJ and producer HoneyLuv and the DJ duo Paperwater, along with an art exhibition curated by Underdogs Gallery, the Lisbon-based cultural platform known for its public art and global collaborations. The exhibition was hosted by the street artist Alexandre Farto (a.k.a. “Vhils”), best known for his signature “creative destruction” technique of carving, cutting, and blasting into urban surfaces.
Joshua Sobel
First launched in New Orleans this February during Super Bowl weekend, FRI&NDS By Odell Beckham Jr. (pronounced “and friends”) aims to “empower underserved creatives and artists through a series of interchangeable events and content curated by Beckham at tentpole sports, entertainment and cultural moments,” per a release. In Monaco, Vhils and OBJ auctioned off a collaborative piece that they carved from concrete, with proceeds benefiting the cultural platform Iminente, and its Bairros project, which is focused on empowering underserved communities in Portugal through art, education, and participation.
There was one other special activation in Monaco over race weekend, with F1 star Charles Leclerc appearing at Nikki Beach Monte Carlo to celebrate the launch of his new capsule clothing collection with Ferrari.
The Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 driver hit up Nikki Beach’s rooftop location atop the Fairmont Monte Carlo hotel to meet fans and help launch the collaboration with Ferrari Style. Ferrari red branding was also seen throughout the weekend on the club’s daybeds, umbrellas, pillows, menu covers and more.
The partnership comes amidst Nikki Beach Monte Carlo’s 10th anniversary celebrations. While it’s a destination all summer long, Nikki Beach is a particular hotspot during the Monaco Grand Prix, with the club’s skydeck offering stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea on one side and the F1 track’s famed Fairmont Hairpin turn on the other.
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