Charles Leclerc’s unlucky streak might be about to end after Italian police arrested four people in connection with the theft of his exclusive Richard Mille watch last year.
The Ferrari driver was in the Italian resort of Viareggio in April 2022 when he was approached by two people in helmets who asked him for a selfie.
During the exchange, the Monegasque’s watch was removed from his wrist, with Leclerc giving chase in his Ferrari through the town, according to CCTV images.
Unfortunately for Leclerc, he was unable to get his watch back from the thieves during the pursuit, leaving him without his valuable timepiece.
Want to work in Formula 1? Browse the latest F1 job vacancies
While police aren’t yet able to confirm whether or not they have recovered Leclerc’s watch, it was confirmed that two “valuable watches” were discovered, with police promising to investigate their origin further.
The Ferrari driver will be hoping for a positive outcome in this case, as he endures one of the worst starts to a Formula 1 season in his career.
After three races, Leclerc has suffered two DNFs, leaving him in eighth place in the Drivers’ Standings.
Leclerc isn’t the only driver on the Formula 1 grid to have lost a valuable Richard Mille watch in a theft, with Lando Norris having had his £144,000 watch stolen after the 2020 Euro final at Wembley Stadium.
The 23-year-old McLaren driver was placed in a headlock while another individual ripped the watch from his wrist.
READ: Fernando Alonso reacts to Lance Stroll’s crash with Charles Leclerc
In his statement to police, Norris told authorities he parked his McLaren in the VIP area, after travelling to the sports event with a friend.
He returned to the sportscar at around midnight and posed for a photo with a fan before the incident occurred.
An individual accused of being involved in the crime was cleared in Harrow Crown Court last month after a week-long trial.