“People are shocked to be told that it's private”: Esteban Ocon sympathises with Charles Leclerc after his address was leaked

Alpine driver Esteban Ocon sympathized with the situation that Charles Leclerc was stuck in earlier after his home address in Monaco was leaked online and fans stormed his place, creating a nuisance for the number 16 driver.

Earlier this month around Easter, Charles Leclerc caught himself in trouble after his residential address was leaked online anonymously. This led to a huge crowd of fans emerging at his place to get pictures and autographs. This continued for a few days until Leclerc posted a message on his social media.

Esteban Ocon, in a recent interview, mentioned the problem that the Monegasque had to face. He related to the issue and stated that he was 'shocked' that fans have to be told to maintain a driver's privacy. Ocon said:

"It's complicated, it happened to me and people are shocked to be told that it's private. I understand Charles. It's not a rant, Charles is just trying to inform everyone that's not the right way to do it."

What Ocon is referring to here is the message that Charles Leclerc had to put out for his fans to understand. It was close to being an invasion of privacy for the drivers and many supported the driver. The message he put on his Instagram story read:

"For the past few months, my home address has somehow become public, leading to people gathering beneath my apartment, ringing my doorbell, 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 at the track, but I won’t be coming downstairs if you visit 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."

"Happy Easter, everyone."

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Charles Leclerc possibly looking at better season later?

Ferrari have had a poor start to the season with Charles Leclerc retiring in two out of the three races held. The pace of the SF-23 has been questionable against their rivals; Red Bull, and Aston Martin, too, at this point.

However, the team is expected to bring in their aerodynamic upgrades earlier in the season, around the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. It is thought that the car will see a major change in the sidepod design which will help them battle for victories.

Similar upgrades are also expected for Mercedes, so it could be quite a battle between the two teams if their performances match.