Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has asked his fans to respect his privacy as they began appearing in several numbers outside his residence in Monaco.
After disclosing that an increasing number of fans were frequenting his residence in Monaco, Charles Leclerc used Easter Sunday to make a request for some privacy in his native principality.
Leclerc, a native of Monaco, stays in Monte Carlo with his family. But because of the tiny size and close-knit nature of the neighborhood, it is practically a certainty that everyone knows where the Ferrari ace resides.
The 25-year-old driver, who was asked for a selfie in Italy last year and had his watch stolen, expressed his concerns on Instagram.
Leclerc disclosed that after his home location became well known, fans began to gather outside, ring his doorbell, and request photos and autographs.
“Hey everyone”, he wrote in a ‘story’ post on the social media site in English, Italian and French. “Happy Easter, everyone.
“for the past few months, my home address has somehow become public, leading to people gathering beneath my apartment, ringing my bell and asking for pictures and autographs.
“While I’m always happy to be there for you, and I truly appreciate your support, please respect my privacy and refrain from coming to my house.
The driver made it clear that while he would be available to his fans if they saw him on the street or at the track, but he would not be coming downstairs if they paid a visit.
“I’ll make sure to stop for everyone when you see me on the streets or of at the track,” he acknowledged. “But I won’t be coming downstairs if you visit me at my home.
“Your support, both in person and on social media, means the world to me. But there is a boundary that should not be crossed.”
Leclerc is not the only Formula 1 driver to reside in Monaco, which plays host to one of the most iconic and well-known world championship race on its streets.
There, people like Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, Daniel Ricciardo, and Alexander Albon have also settled down. Lewis Hamilton also resides in Monaco as his main residence besides owning a lavish penthouse in New York City and a home in London.
Former Formula 1 drivers David Coulthard, Mark Webber, Paul Di Resta, Antonio Giovanazzi, and Daniil Kvyat, as well as Mika Hakkinen, Jenson Button, and Nico Rosberg all reside in the locality.
Monaco is well known for having a very friendly tax structure for athletes and celebrities, which means that inhabitants are exempt from paying tax on their capital gains, income, or surplus value.
Strangely, Leclerc is an exception to that law because native French or Monegasques are exempt from that. He would do better to relocate to Switzerland, where Michael Schumacher, Esteban Ocon, Sebastian Vettel, and Fernando Alonso all currently reside.
Other F1 drivers such as Carlos Sainz and George Russell, still prefer spending time in their respective countries of origin, the UK and Spain.
Italian officials detained four persons earlier this week on suspicion of taking part in the robbery of Charles Leclerc’s $320,000 handmade Richard Mille luxury watch in Tuscany last year.
Leclerc had been seen by a group of fans in Viareggio, and he had stopped to sign autographs and take photographs before realizing that someone had stolen his watch while he was busy.
