Charles Leclerc spotted in Monaco with $2.5 million classic Ferrari

Ferrari Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc has been spotted behind the wheel of a classic Ferrari 275 GTB Series I - a car worth approximately $2.5 million. The Verde Scuro machine certainly turned heads on the streets of the Principality after the 1965 sports car was reportedly added to the driver's personal collection.

As the successor of the iconic 250 series Ferrari, only 200 units were ever built, each boasting a 3.3-litre Colombo V12 engine producing 280 horsepower. The car was as revolutionary as it was beautiful, featuring Ferrari's first road-going 5-speed gearbox in a production car and an independent rear suspension. Designed by Pininfarina, its silhouette is timeless. 

The 275 has a strong racing heritage, with a third-place finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1965 behind a pair of 250 LMs. 

This drew the interest of Leclerc, who test drove a restored example around Ferrari's famous Fiorano test track in 2021. 

"What an incredible car to drive, it's just - yeah, pure, pure joy," Leclerc said about the car at the time. "You can hear the sound - the sound is just incredible - and the feeling is just amazing. You can feel the story behind it, and that's what's so nice. It's also great to see how much cars [have] evolved from that day.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

"It's a different kind of feeling. The vibe in this car is just incredible. But yeah, then the brakes, the engine - how much there's been an evolution since that day - was incredible.

"It will definitely be fun. I mean, I cannot imagine what it's like to be racing with this car on a track. Today I came close to it. I was not pushing at the maximum, but obviously the feeling is great. And to be racing in this back in the '60s, I think it was, with these cars had to be something very, very special.

"So it's true that in our days now, you don’t have any more races like this - well, 24 Hours of Le Mans, of course, you have - but with racing cars and not with road cars that you bring to the track. So it would be actually quite nice to have that back."

The Ferrari joins a dream lineup of vehicles in the F1 driver's collection, which also includes a Ferrari Daytona SP3, an 812 Competizione Aperta, a Purosangue, and a 488 Pista.