Leon Marchand reacts as he meets Pierre Gasly and other F1 drivers at the Australia Grand Prix

Leon Marchand made his feelings known as he attended the first Grand Prix of the Formula One season in Australia. Marchand also shared a frame with Pierre Gasly of the Alpine F1 team.

Leon Marchand achieved massive success at the 2024 Paris Games, winning golds in the 400m medley, 200m butterfly, 200m breaststroke, and 200m medley. His effort in each event broke records, making him the first French Olympian to earn four golds at a single Games and the fourth swimmer alongside Mark Spitz, Kristin Otto, and Michael Phelps.

Months later, the 22-year-old shifted his attention to Formula One and attended the Australian Grand Prix in a box-themed co-ord set. He expressed gratitude for the experience. He posted a photo of himself with the checkered flag and wrote:

"Thank you for the amazing experience"

Marchand thanks F1 for the experience; Instagram - @leon.marchand31

In his following story, the French swimmer shared a frame with the Alpine team's Pierre Gasly, who finished 11th in the race.

Marchand and Pierre Gasly in Melbourne; Instagram - @leon.marchand31

Marchand also gave a shout out to F1's official partner Louis Vuitton, which joined the Formula One family in a 10-year agreement as part of LMVH. The high-end brand was also responsible for the Trophy Trunk in Melbourne, marking the beginning of F1's 75th anniversary.

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Leon Marchand pulled out from the 2024 World Championships midway through the competition to focus on his health

Leon Marchand at the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2024 Singapore Stop - Day 3 - (Source: Getty)

Marchand was atop the medal table even after his Paris Olympic stint. He competed in the Singapore stop of the Swimming World Cup, breaking Ryan Lochte's 200m individual medley short course world record.

However, ahead of the next set of races in December, he declared on his Instagram story that he would sit out of the remaining events.

"I've decided to pull out from World Championships in Budapest. 2024 was really intense, I've done a lot of big competitions and I'm exhausted. It's time for me to step back, train hard and start preparing for future challenges. I know you will understand and I'm excited for what's ahead."

At three World Cup stops, the Frenchman racked up the 100m, 200m, and 400m individual medley wins. Coached by Michael Phelps' coach Bob Bowman, Marchand was part of the bronze-winning 4x100m medley team at the Paris Olympics. The squad finished in a national record time.