Ferrari F1 driver Charles Leclerc is currently one of the best drivers in the sport, and ever since joining F1 in 2018, he has constantly displayed eye-catching performances on the track.
Leclerc joined the Italian team in 2019, replacing Kimi Raikkonen, and has won six races so far, with 25 pole positions to his name. But apart from his on-track performances, there remains a lot to be known about the only Monagasque driver on the grid.
Below are the five facts about Charles Leclerc’s life that only true fans know about.
#1 Charles Leclerc’s artistic pursuits
Apart from his incredible speed on tracks around the world in an F1 car, Charles Leclerc also has skills on the piano and has often displayed his talents to the world on his social media platforms.
The Monegasque driver has even recorded some of his songs and released them on the online streaming platform, Spotify. He also possesses skills on a guitar and has been playing ever since he was 15.
#2 He has his watch with Richard Mille
We are offering for Only Watch 2021 a unique prototype of the RM 67-02 @Charles_Leclerc. This in-house watch is our lightest automatic timepiece, weighing a mere 32 grams. pic.twitter.com/FEOgUIJpj9
— Richard Mille (@Richard_Mille) September 15, 2021
Richard Mille is one of the most reputable watch brands in the world and has been sponsoring Leclerc since 2021. The iconic watch company even collaborated with the six-time race winner to introduce his prototype named RM 67-02 Charles Leclerc.
The prototype is one of the most expensive watches in the world and was sold at an auction for $2.3 million.
#3 He has his ice cream chain
Like many other drivers on the grid, the Ferrari driver also has business ventures away from the track as a passive source of income. However, unlike his peers who usually invest in their merchandise and spirits, Leclerc has taken a different route.
Earlier this year, the 26-year-old introduced his ice cream brand named ‘Lec’ which has a tagline of ‘Why resist’. The ice cream tubs come in five flavors: chocolate, vanilla, pistachio, salted caramel, and peanut caramel.
#4 He was the reserve driver for the Haas F1 team
Before joining F1 with Sauber in 2018, Charles Leclerc was one of the reserve drivers for the Haas F1 team during the 2016 season. He has been part of Ferrari’s junior program and got his first foray into the sport with the American team as it is the customer team to the Prancing Horse.
#5 His favorite number is 7
F1 has been allowing drivers to choose their numbers since the 2014 season. Before that, they could only race with the team’s ranking from the previous season. Charles Leclerc’s favorite number is seven but he was unable to race with that number when he first entered the sport as Kimi Raikkonen was already using it.
So the then Sauber decided to race with No.16, which equals seven when the two numbers are added together. But he did not take the number from Raikkonen even after the 2007 world champion retired from the sport at the end of the 2021 season, and continued with 16.