Speaking to RACER magazine, the Monegasque admitted he feels he has gone through three distinct phases in his career. The first came when he was still relatively unknown to the wider public and only rarely stopped by fans.

The second followed as he began to be recognised more and more often — something he initially enjoyed, given the position he holds and the privilege of racing for Ferrari. The third, however, is the stage he finds himself in now, where, as he put it, “maybe you will want a bit more privacy on some of the things.”

Even so, Leclerc said he has willingly accepted the level of media exposure that comes with the job in order to live out his dream of racing at the very top of Formula 1 and being supported by so many people.

Despite joining Ferrari back in 2019, the Monegasque is still yet to win a world title, while other drivers from his generation — such as Lando Norris — have already become world champions, or even Max Verstappen, who has claimed no fewer than four.

Hill believes Leclerc now has everything it takes to fight for the championship, given the long road he has travelled and the immense talent at his disposal.

Only one piece is still missing — here’s what it is.