April 2021 marked a ‘mini-homecoming’ for the Monegasque F1 driver Charles Leclerc, as the racer gifted his iconic Ferrari single seater F1 race car SF90 to HSH Prince Albert. This car was driven by Leclerc during his victories at the Belgian GP and the Italian GP in the 2019 season, a feat the entire Principality is proud of.
At the Belgian Grand Prix, started the race in pole position, and continued his dominance throughout the race, finishing first. Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas finished behind in second and third position respectively. Leclerc’s teammate, Sebastian Vettel, just missed out on the podium, as he finished at a more than respectable 4th position.
Similarly, at the Italian Grand Prix, Leclerc started at pole position and finished at the same. Hamilton and Bottas switched positions however, with the latter finishing second this time. Vettel however, managed to finish at a mediocre 13th place, especially since Ferrari is considered to be one of the best teams in the game.
Considered by many as one of the best drivers on the grid, Leclerc was gifted the car by the Scuderia Ferrari team; and as a tribute to the place he grew up in, he then decided to pass on the present to the sovereign. The SF90 adds to the Prince’s personal car collection, or the Monaco Top Car Collection as it is so often called. The collection already includes a Porsche 928, 1986 Lamborghini Countach, 1942 Ford GPW among others, which have been collected over a period of more than 30 years.
Speaking about the car, Prince Albert said –
“It’s wonderful! I thank Charles very much for having made this gesture to us and it is true that it has its place here. It fits perfectly into the logic of the Collection, which is to present old and modern vehicles, which trace the history of the automobile and motor racing.”
The collection currently sits at the terrace of the Fontvielle Centre Commercial; and is currently closed to the public due to the Pandemic. However, when it does re-open, it will surely create a certain buzz.
Article by Aakash Damani (International University of Monaco)
