Team Monaco has confirmed Maxime Nocher and Oban Duncan as its pilots for the 2026 UIM E1 World Championship, with the Principality’s official entry making its debut at Jeddah on 23-24 January.
Nocher, an 11-time kitefoil world champion, will compete as both CEO and pilot of the Monaco-backed team racing under number 98, the Principality’s country code.
The 19-year-old Duncan becomes the youngest pilot on the E1 grid after moving from Team Drogba.
Prince’s Initiative Drives 19-Month Programme
The team has been in development for 19 months following an initiative from Prince Albert II. Nocher, who co-founded the operation with Monaco-based entrepreneur Chris Taylor, said the project required patience given the Principality’s governance structures.
Nocher said: “It was the Prince’s initiative to have his own team. I started this project 19 months ago. In Monaco, things take time, but today we’re here.”
Team Monaco operates from the Yacht Club de Monaco and positions itself as an institutional entry representing the Principality rather than following the celebrity-backed model adopted by rival teams. The championship features entries owned by Tom Brady, LeBron James, Rafael Nadal and Will Smith.
Taylor said Monaco’s status as a nation rather than celebrity-backed team provided unique advantages.
“How can it not be an advantage when you’ve got an entire country rooting for you? We feel very confident Monaco’s going to support us well.”
The team aligns with the Prince Albert II Foundation’s ocean regeneration mission and the Princess Charlene Foundation’s drowning prevention efforts.
Nocher continued: “Team Monaco is where innovation meets elegance on the water. This is more than a race entry, it is a statement of Monaco’s commitment to performance, sustainability, and the future of marine sport.”
Founders Split on Championship Timeline
Nocher stated the team arrives two years behind established competitors but expressed confidence in the operation’s competitive potential. “We’re aiming for the podium every race. I mean, we have a really competitive team and we want to achieve great things.”
However, Taylor offered a more measured assessment of the debut season’s objectives. “Max said he wants to win the championship in 2026. I said, ‘2027, let’s go for it. ’26, podiums.’ You never know.”
Nocher confirmed 2026 would serve as a learning season with the objective of podium contention in 2027 after gaining experience with the RaceBird electric hydrofoil boats. “We’re arriving two years after the other teams. The 2026 season is a learning season. The goal is to gain experience and build something solid. In 2027, we’ll clearly be aiming for the podium.”
Olympic Dream Ends, E1 Career Begins
The French pilot’s Olympic preparation for Paris 2024 ended following a serious accident during nautical training. His kitefoil career produced 11 world championship titles before the forced retirement.
Nocher said ending a career without choosing to do so proved extremely difficult, but he decided to transform that energy into a new project. Trained at the E1 Pilots Academy, he finds piloting the RaceBird offers sensations similar to kitefoiling — the gliding and flight above the water, but with a strong strategic component.
“The E1 is the ideal platform to highlight what is possible when sport and sustainable technologies meet. We want to demonstrate that the Principality can be a model for electric mobility on the water.”
Duncan Targets Consistent Progression
The Scottish racer, said reaching the final at every round would demonstrate the consistency Team Monaco requires during its debut season.
“Racing for Team Monaco, with the Principality’s commitment to sustainability, is a tremendous privilege.” She emphasised a pragmatic approach focused on learning and progression rather than immediate results.
“Being in the final at every race would be a true indicator of consistency.”
Limited Preparation Time Before Jeddah
The team faces the challenge of limited boat time before the season opener. Nocher noted conditions can change rapidly during racing and stressed the importance of staying focused whilst avoiding mistakes as the crew adapts to the equipment.
“Our goal is to stay focused and avoid mistakes. Conditions can change very quickly.”
Prince Albert II confirmed his backing for the team ahead of the Jeddah round.
“Beyond the sporting performance, participating in the UIM E1 World Championship presented by PIF is a fantastic opportunity to raise public awareness about ocean protection. True to its visionary spirit, Monaco supports innovation and initiatives promoting cleaner technologies for the oceans.”
The 2026 season features eight rounds across four continents with the championship making its Caribbean debut in the Bahamas. Team Brady begins the defence of the title won at Miami in November 2025.
If it happened in powerboat racing during the last forty years the chances are that Chris Davies was there either photographing it or writing about it.
During that time, he has travelled the globe covering both offshore and circuit racing for series promotors, race teams, PR companies, and a whole raft of publications.
