In tune with Charles Leclerc's musical side

Charles Leclerc is used to a high speed lifestyle. As a lead Formula One driver for Ferrari, a position he has held since 2019 when he joined the team to race alongside Sebastian Vettel, he’s pretty much always on the go. When the Monégasque driver is not racing, he’s training. When he’s not winning (he has won eight Grands Prix titles across seven seasons and became the second Formula One driver to win at home after fellow countryman Louis Chiron won in 1931) he’s thinking about winning. “I never expected to be where I am today,” Leclerc told us for the summer 2024 cover story of Gentleman’s Journal. “My father always reminded me of how difficult it will be and how unlikely it will be as well.”

But, away from the pits and noise of the F1, Leclerc wants his fans to see the other side of his life too. It’s rare that he goes in depth about his personal life, as usually interviewers are solely interested in his record-breaking Formula One career. Away from the driver’s seat, however, Leclerc is all about slowing down and taking his foot off the pedal. It’s a life, he says, that’s as far removed from the race track as possible. "I get few opportunities to switch off, so I make the most of them," he explains over Zoom.

Aside from spending time with his loved ones and his new puppy Leo - “my friend had a dachshund that had puppies and he knew that I love dogs and one day he surprised me for my birthday with one of the puppies” - Leclerc is mad about making music. “I think it's quite melancholic in a way,” he says of his sound, as he takes 15 minutes out of training. “I always try to express the way I feel at that particular moment. Every song I do is named after a race and it usually is an attempt to describe the way I feel about a certain race. It can be hard, sure, as I’m not so technically good.”

Leclerc has been a self-trained pianist since Covid, when he was forced to stop doing the day job that he loves. “There was so much time at home and I wasn't really used to that,” he says. “Training was still a big part of my day, but then at one point it was becoming a little bit repetitive and I still had a lot of free time and so I bought a piano.” Growing up he’d always had a piano as his younger brother, Arthur Leclerc, who is also a Formula One driver, was practising. “The one I bought was a plug in and play piano, but I have now actually upgraded to a very nice one: a Steinway.”

Leclerc isn’t just making music for himself though. During the off-season and between races, he has spent time perfecting his passion. “I used to share my music on my Instagram stories and people basically asked for it to be released at one point, because they had to watch the stories over and over to listen.” A quick Spotify search of his name will lead you to his tracks, which are, as he mentioned, named things like “AUS23(1:1)” and “MIA23(1:2)” after his races. He has released nine songs since 2023, with a recent two ahead of the new season. “I love music,” he says. “Music is a big part of my life outside racing and it's a way for me to disconnect and to wind down. My life is hectic and I’m travelling everywhere and it’s rare that I get time to myself. To the outside world it can be a bit surprising to see a Formula One driver playing the piano, but honestly it makes sense, at least it does for me, and I want to share that side of myself with people.”

Leclerc is also, which may come as surprising, into the craft of alcohol-making. He’s partnered with Chivas Regal as the Australian label’s new ambassador, to celebrate “the achievement of personal goals and creativity.” And, to launch the partnership, Leclerc will be hosting a pop-up in Melbourne. The piano bar (a reflection of his love of music) pop-up called “Leclerc’s” will be open from March 11th at the upcoming Australian Grand Prix season opener, merging together the worlds of music and whisky, both of which Leclerc wants his fans to experience.

“When I went to Strathisla, Chivas Regal’s distillery, we worked on a cocktail together,” he shares, explaining that it will be served at Leclerc’s. “I was with a master blender, and he sort of just put everything in it. He's kind of like an engineer. There’s sugar, elderflower cordial, lime juice, Champagne, Chivas Regal and a mint sprig in there.”

The partnership with Chivas Regal also made sense to Leclerc, because the brand is all about toasting losses as well as wins. This, Leclerc explains, is something that he has begun to do. Both Chivas Regal and Charles share the same ethos around celebrating success - it’s not just about the big wins, but every step along the way. “I see it as an opportunity to learn rather than a loss in itself,” he shares. “I think there is an opportunity to get better and you’ve got to see the positive in that. Even in the darkest times, because sometimes these things don't go your way, you recognise the opportunity to get better. I’m taking that mindset into everything I do. I just cannot wait to see what's ahead and I hope it will be an incredible season.”

Now check out an interview with Formula One driver Oscar Piastri

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