F1 drivers are considered to be some of the most mindful and cognizant people. Thanks to intense training and the need for split-second decision-making required in F1, the drivers rarely showcase moments of carelessness. However, Charles Leclerc has been a victim of mindlessness on various occasions, with one of them nearly costing him a trip home. Corriere dello Sport once quoted the Monegasque driver as he recalled the time he forgot to carry money for the taxi ride to the Airport. However, a generous fan came to his rescue.
five years ago today, a fan had to pay for charles’ taxi in australia because he didn’t have the money for it pic.twitter.com/RbjzZdtWbl
— clara (@leclercsletters) March 17, 2024
Having completed his first-ever race in F1, Leclerc wanted to go back home to Monte Carlo. It was a particularly heavy rainy day in Melbourne, and the then-sauber driver did not have enough money to afford a taxi to the airport. However, luck was with Leclerc as a fan offered to lend him the money.
“After the race, I wanted to go back straight away at home in Monte Carlo, but it was raining a lot and I was in danger of not taking a flight. I needed to take a taxi quickly so as not to miss the plane, but I didn’t have the money. A fan offered to lend it to me and allowed me to go home and not miss the plane.”
Leclerc’s life has shown him various bizarre moments, much of them stemming from his ill-actions. One such incident happened when Leclerc was busy streaming live on Twitch. With his noise-cancelling headphones on, Leclerc completely immersed himself in the online world.
He got so busy that he didn’t even hear his girlfriend ring the doorbell. Having had to stay outside for a while, Leclerc’s girlfriend eventually had to join his Twitch stream and comment on it to ask him to open the door. As punishment for his wrongdoing, Leclerc had to resort to sleeping on the sofa for one night.
Charles Leclerc has had another curious taxi-related incident
This wasn’t the only taxi-related incident in the life of Leclerc as a newbie F1 driver. Another incident took place when he won his first-ever Italian GP while driving for Ferrari in 2019. After the race, the team booked a place to go and party. Leclerc opted for a taxi ride to the venue instead of driving himself. The driver of the taxi did not recognize who was in the car with him as reported by Scuderia Fans. Funnily enough, the driver asked Leclerc if he saw “how good that kid” was who won in Monza.
Nothing, just Charles Leclerc cooldown room in Monza 2019 and all the Tifosi running to watch il predestinato bring the win back home after 9 years of waiting. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/PCFgmIUVDe
— emma (@LeMonegasque16) September 4, 2023
The incident took place when Leclerc was in his debut season with Ferrari. Having won the Belgian Grand Prix in the previous race week, Leclerc won his second consecutive GP when driving in Monza. Starting from pole position, Leclerc withstood a challenge from Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas to take home the winner’s trophy.
The win became even more significant as it marked Ferrari’s first home turf win in nearly a decade. Their previous win in Monza came back in 2010, thanks to Fernando Alonso. This made him a fan favorite among the Tifosi.
