Charles Leclerc swept into the Formula 1 history books and beyond in May when he became the first Monagasque driver to win his home Grand Prix since Louis Chiron in 1931, the third edition of the world-famous Monaco GP. The lifestyle of a Grand Prix winner has changed dramatically in the decades between Chrion and Leclerc, so what takes up Monaco’s latest hero’s time away from the F1 circuit?
Fashion and glamour have been a part of the Formula 1 circus since the series dawned and it is no more evident than in Monaco, where Leclerc grew up and sought his ambition of becoming an F1 driver. Leclerc himself is no stranger to timeless fashion and expresses his sense of style through luxurious timepieces, in particular, the ultra-light and sporty Richard Mille watches.
On the day of his historic Monaco triumph, a victory in a race he described as “the reason I became a racing driver,” Leclerc wore a Richard Mille RM 72-01 Flyback Chronograph that exemplified the luxurious realm in which a multiple Formula 1 Grand Prix winner lives. The RM 72-01 Flyback Chronograph is a limited edition run of just 300 sold at a staggering $300,000. Still, given Leclerc’s 2023 F1 contract was reportedly worth $14 million with $5 million in bonuses, he can afford to compliment his look with Richard Mille’s range. Moreover, his affinity for the brand has led to the launch of the limited-edition RM 67-02, designed specifically for Leclerc with an ultra-light 32-gram design, perfect for a Formula 1 Monaco GP winner.
Leclerc’s marketing presence is huge for partnering brands and combining his name and image with Richard Mille is a potent combination. That’s made all the more potent when combined with the lovely Leo, Leclerc’s cherished puppy. Leclerc and his partner Alexandra Saint Mleux are frequently pictured entering the paddock with Leo, a young golden retriever puppy that has become a Formula 1 celebrity in his own right. Remarkably, Leo has his own Instagram account with 327 thousand followers.
Beyond timepieces and his canine friend, Charles Leclerc has many other passions, from playing paddle with his Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 team-mate Carlos Sainz to following world Tennis no.1 Jannik Sinner. Leclerc is often pictured visiting the Monte Carlo Masters tennis tournament but he revealed to La Stampa that he has developed a friendship with Sinner. “With Jannik, we write to each other often,” he said. “He sent me several messages when I won in Monte Carlo, a moment I had been waiting for years, and I, of course, wrote to him for No. 1.” In fact, Leclerc’s following of tennis traces back to his love for Richard Mille, with limited editions curated for other sports starts such as multiple Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal belonging to his collection of timepieces.
Leclerc’s interests range from the art of luxury watches to the realm of music. The Ferrari F1 ace is an accomplished piano player and even started releasing original songs on Spotify in 2023. Leclerc found his love for music during the Covid-19 pandemic when he took up learning the piano. “I fell in love with this instrument straight away,” he told Classic FM. “I took a few lessons at the beginning to try and learn how to read music, which I did. But very quickly, I basically wanted to do my own songs – and that’s how I started.” Leclerc’s stature in the music world has grown to the point that he has 304 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify and one of his original tracks even premiered on Classic FM, the United Kingdom’s leading radio station for classical music.
The pandemic also provided Leclerc the platform to explore a more modern passion. With the Formula 1 world put on hold in 2020, Leclerc and his fellow F1 drivers Alex Albon, George Russell and Lando Norris formed ‘The Twitch Quartet,’ whereby the four of them took to the popular streaming channel to broadcast their shenanigans in various sim-racing games. Leclerc and his F1 peers built up a substantial following and helped popularise the sim-racing medium and their passion for virtual racing remain to this day.
From classic timepieces to classical music, befriending sports stars in other fields, and competing in the virtual sports world, there are many facets to a Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix winner.
