Charles Leclerc is adamant about his unwavering dedication to Formula 1, even as he embarks on a new journey in the ice cream sector.
Earlier, the the Ferrari racer was rumoured to be keen on establishing an ice cream shop in his homeland, Monaco, and now, the project has taken off.
In a partnership with the Italian gelato firm Grom and under the guidance of his manager Nicolas Todt, Leclerc is introducing his own brand of low-calorie ice cream, aptly named 'LEC'.
"I initially had the idea of opening a shop in Monte Carlo," he concedes, "but then I met Federico Grom thanks to some mutual acquaintances and we thought about doing things much bigger than that."
This venture draws parallels to Lewis Hamilton's recent undertaking with the launch of Almave, a non-alcoholic spirit derived from blue agave, as the seven-time world champion and future Ferrari driver continues to diversify his interests.
"We were talking about it recently," Leclerc shared with Deejay Chiama Italia. "He has this new Almave project of his, which is very nice because he has developed a new drink while I have ice cream. So for sure, when he arrives at Ferrari, we will celebrate with my ice cream and his drink," Leclerc added, with a hint of excitement.
"I'm already working on new flavours for 2025, but in the meantime we have the aim of also arriving in French supermarkets by the end of this year."
Federico Grom has stated, "We haven't thought yet about real ice-cream shops like the one Charles wanted to open, but in the future who knows."
However, the timing of Leclerc's business venture is noted amidst his ongoing struggle to match the performance of his Ferrari teammate, Carlos Sainz, who is set to leave the team.
Despite acknowledging that "no one likes finishing second," Leclerc firmly refutes any suggestion that his business interests might distract him from his racing career.
"I never would have dived into this project alone because I don't have much time available," Leclerc asserts. "99 percent of my life is Formula 1 and my priority is to be the best Formula 1 driver. I dedicate everything I have to F1."
When questioned about Fernando Alonso's recent decision to prolong his F1 career for at least two more years, despite being 42 years old, Leclerc made it clear, "I won't still be in F1 at 42. I'd like to try something else by then, like Le Mans."
