The Monaco Grand Prix, a crown jewel of the Formula One season, is not just a who's who of the rich and famous. It might be an even bigger showcase of the most exorbitant yachts on Earth.

Yacht industry expert Waldman Media (@waldmanmedia) showed just how extravagant the event is with a TikTok video counting down the five biggest vessels on display.

@waldmanmedia Number 5 is ridiculous! Over $2 billion worth of yachts are currently docked in Monaco for the Grand Prix—one of the most exclusive events on the yachting calendar. Here are the five largest on display: At number five is Obsidian, a 276-foot Feadship built in 2023. With its futuristic lines, it's easily the most eye-catching in the port. She hosts 14 guests and a crew of 27. Next is the 278-foot O'Ptasia, delivered in 2018 by Golden Yachts. This sleek charter vessel accommodates 12 guests and starts at €900,000 per week. Taking third is Lionheart, a 295-foot masterpiece by Benetti from 2016. With six spacious cabins and a crew of 30, it exemplifies classic superyacht luxury. In second is Symphony, the oldest on the list—but no less spectacular. Built by Feadship in 2015, this 333-foot yacht includes a cinema, a private owner's deck with sauna, and a 50-foot-tall interactive video wall in its elevator shaft. Topping the list is Kismet. At 400 feet, this Lürssen-built giant has become one of the most talked-about yachts in the world. Delivered just last year, she offers eight cabins, 12 guest capacity, and charters for €3 million per week. Which floating palace would you choose? #monacoyacht #monaco #monacogp #megayacht ♬ original sound - Waldman Media

As you'd expect, these superyachts spare no expense or amenity. The minnow of the group, Obsidian, has the most striking outward appearance and measures in at 276 feet long with accommodations for 14 guests and 27 crew members. 

Going from smallest to biggest are O'Ptasia, Lionheart, Symphony, and Kismet. The largest of all at 400 feet long, Kismet belongs to NFL owner Shad Khan and reportedly costs about $30 million annually to operate. One important thing to note is just how new all the boats are. The oldest of the group, Lionheart, is only 10 years old. 

That jibes with BOAT International's report that a record number of yachts attended the Monaco Grand Prix in May. It also supports projections that the superyacht industry will continue to grow rapidly over the next decade.

While these yachts can be fun to ogle at, they come with a number of drawbacks for the environment. They can be enormous polluters, with the top 300 of them polluting a staggering 285,000 tons of carbon annually, per Clean Technica. That also doesn't even account for other types of pollution that have led some to call them a form of ecocide.

Gatherings for the rich and famous, such as the Monaco Grand Prix, are another in-your-face example of the excesses of the wealthiest people on Earth. An Oxfam report found that the richest 1% of the population account for as much pollution as two-thirds of the global population. Superyachts and private jets are huge contributors in this regard.

Unsurprisingly, many commenters on TikTok wanted to critique the inequality and absurdity on display in Monaco, rather than celebrate the mammoth yachts.

"These people aren't being taxed enough," one declared.

Another user questioned Kismet's gargantuan size and modest capacity: "Wdym accommodates 12 guests, this yacht is like for 50 people."

"3 million a week for what is basically a floating hotel that's crazy," a TikToker marveled in reference to Kismet's charter cost.

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