The Monaco Historic Grand Prix began in style when HSH Prince Albert II drove the first lap of the circuit in a Bugatti Type 41, also known as the “Bugatti Royale,” on Saturday 25 April 2026. The lap also celebrated the Bugatti Royale’s centenary (1926-2026).
The Sovereign drove the inaugural lap accompanied by Christophe Piochon, President of Bugatti Automobiles, and Michel Ferry, Vice-President of the Automobile Club of Monaco.
Mona Lisa of automobiles
A symbol of Ettore Bugatti’s industrial and artistic genius, the Bugatti Type 41 embodies the company’s ambition, from the 1920s onward, to create “the most prestigious and powerful car in the world.” Among the six examples produced, the model is known as the “Coupé Napoléon” or “Coupé du Patron”. Equipped with an engine of nearly 13 litres, the car is one of the most iconic automobiles ever designed.
Belonging to Ettore Bugatti himself, the Bugatti Royale was acquired by the Schlumpf brothers in 1963. It is now considered the centrepiece of the Mulhouse museum’s collection, often referred to as the “Mona Lisa of automobiles.”
Sovereign visits the Bugatti in Mulhouse in 2024
HSH Prince Albert II saw the vehicle when he visited Mulhouse and the National Automobile Museum in October 2024. The Bugatti Royale was driven to the Grand Prix site by the National Automobile Museum’s head of workshop.
Two more stops in Monaco
Following its appearance on the Monaco circuit, the Bugatti Royale will be presented to the public at the Automobile Collection of HSH the Prince of Monaco, on Port Hercule, from 27 April to 3 May, offering visitors a rare opportunity to admire the iconic automobile up close. It will then be exhibited at the Top Marques show, on the Collection’s stand from 7 to 10 May 2026 before returning to its home in Mulhouse.
