Leclerc pleads for privacy from fans on his doorstep

Charles Leclerc has used Easter Sunday to make a plea for some privacy in his native Monaco, after revealing that increasingly numbers of fans have been staking out his home in the principality.

A native of Monaco, Leclerc and his family continue to leave in Monte Carlo. But it's such a small, close-knit community that it's almost inevitable that people know exactly where the Ferrari superstar resides.

But it's only with today's post on Instagram that the stresses and strains involved in staying in the region have been made apparent.

• Read also: Italian police arrest four in connection with Leclerc's stolen watch

"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.

"I'll make sure to stop for everyone when you see me on the streets or of at the track, 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 by no means the only Formula 1 star to live in Monaco, which hosts one of the most iconic and famous rounds of the world championship on its streets.

Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, Daniel Ricciardo, Alexander Albon have all made their homes there. Lewis Hamilton's main residence is also in Monaco, despite also owning a luxury penthouse in New York City and a house in London.

Former world champions Mika Hakkinen, Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg are all residents, as are ex-drivers David Coulthard, Mark Webber, Paul Di Resta, Antonio Giovanazzi and Daniil Kvyat.

Monaco is famous for having a particularly favourable tax system for sportsmen and celebrities meaning that residents are not subject to tax on income, surplus value or capital.

Privacy has been another long-term appeal of living in Monaco, with so many super-rich celebrities living shoulder-to-shoulder than it's easy to hide in plain sight when they go for o for coffee, take a walk or run.

However other F1 stars such as Carlos Sainz and George Russell continue to prefer to hang out closer to home in their native Spain and UK respectively.

Earlier this week, Italian authorities arrested four people suspected of involvement in the theft of Charles Leclerc's custom $320,000 Richard Mille luxury watch in Tuscany a year ago.

Leclerc had been spotted by a group of fans while out and about in Viareggio and stopped to sign autographs and pose for selfies, only to realise someone had taken his watch while he was distracted.

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