What do the worlds of racing and whisky have in common? More than one might expect, as Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc demonstrates through his appointment as the Global Brand Ambassador for Scotch whisky label Chivas Regal. As it turns out, both require a blend of technical precision, balance, and an understanding of how to extract the best from complex components.
Announced ahead of the 2025 F1 season opener back in March, the multi-year partnership highlights Chivas Regal’s growing influence in modern sports culture. This is not a one-off association, as the brand is also an official partner of F1 team Scuderia Ferrari and English Premier League football club Arsenal.
Racing prowess aside, Leclerc is known for his personal achievements off the racetrack – most notably in music. A self-taught pianist and composer, Charles has delighted fans with the release of multiple tracks over the past few years. The time, passion, and creativity he puts into mastering the notes on a piano reflect the painstaking craftsmanship required to create an iconic whisky – making this partnership the perfect blend of success.
As part of their ongoing partnership, Leclerc recently graced the brand’s launch of the new Chivas Regal Crystalgold in Singapore, days before the F1 Singapore Grand Prix. Crafted by Master Blender Sandy Hyslop from a bespoke blend and refined through a pioneering filtration process, the Chivas Regal Crystalgold showcases technical excellence, delivering remarkable smoothness and transparency while preserving the depth of character associated with the brand’s signature style.
In conjunction with the launch, the brand’s latest campaign focuses on another one of Leclerc’s off-track interests: chess. Reflecting the innovation of Chivas Regal in creating this groundbreaking clear spirit, the campaign showcases Leclerc’s ability to stay multiple steps ahead in the competitive board game by exercising strategy and precision.
To celebrate the landmark event, we speak to Charles Leclerc on his memories of Chivas Regal, the new release, and what celebration and legacy mean to him in this exclusive interview.
Congratulations on your partnership with Chivas Regal! What is your first memory of the brand?
Charles Leclerc (CL): Oh, probably with my grandfather back when we were playing chess together. I remember he always had a glass of Chivas Regal with him whenever we played. That’s a very personal memory, and a very dear one to me, because I have a huge passion for chess.
My latest campaign with Chivas Regal is centered around chess as well, and how to think about the next move – which also has a lot of similarities in the way the brand is working and thinking about the future.
Speaking of chess, when did you learn how to play and what made you fall in love with it?
CL: It actually started with my grandfather. He used to play quite a lot, and as a kid, I obviously looked up to him. I would see him play this ‘strange game’, at first it seemed. He taught me how to play and that’s where my passion started. I was very young, probably around 5-6 years old, and I loved it – the strategy, thinking multiple steps ahead, and to also try and surprise my opponent. I’ve always been someone who’s super competitive – too competitive at times – and my only motivation was to try and beat him.
Since your appointment as Global Brand Ambassador in March, what has been your favourite memory or experience with Chivas Regal so far?
CL: Definitely when I went to see Chivas Regal distillery at the beginning of this year – it was such an incredible experience. I had the chance to taste and learn a lot more about the process of blending the perfect whisky and I think that was super, super interesting.
I obviously did not expect all the work going on. You kind of understand things only once you’ve seen how much work there is behind the scenes, and how much innovation there is in a product that I’ve basically seen all my life with the people around me. The amount of effort and passion there is within Chivas Regal is just super, super impressive. I really enjoyed the two, three days that I was there.
Chivas Regal champions the ethos “I Rise, We Rise”. How does this philosophy resonate with your own values?
CL: It’s extremely important for me. I think whenever you have a good moment or a bad moment, the emotions that you take away from it and the learning that you take away from it, it’s always thanks to the people you share it with.
I’ll take, for example, the best moments of my career. They wouldn’t have had much of an impact if I weren’t sharing those moments with the people around me. What makes everything very meaningful is when we are all on the same path; when we win and lose together.
I think that ethos is also very important because in Formula 1, it’s not only about me inside the car, but it’s a whole team effort. Not just in Formula 1, but also in my private life – it’s never me on my own. I’ve always got my loved ones around me – and that’s what makes moments more meaningful.
Can you tell us more about the Chivas Regal Crystalgold and what makes it unique?
CL: Well, it’s obviously something that has never been done before. And that’s something that needs to be very much respected, especially in the world of whisky where, at least in my mind, I thought it would be very difficult to innovate. Chivas Regal has managed to do that while still keeping true their roots. The blend of the two – their innovation and legacy – is the perfect representation of this new product.
I discovered the new product when I was at the Chivas Regal distillery earlier this year, and to see the result of it was very impressive. I really enjoyed it because again, I think there are many similarities with the way I approach racing; the way I stay true to myself and remember where I come from, but at the same time trying to improve myself step by step and innovate in my own way.
Chivas Regal, racing, and Monaco share one thing in common – besides being connected to you – they’re all synonymous with parties and celebration. What does celebration mean to you, personally?
CL: It’s very important. Whether it’s for big or small moments, it’s very important to celebrate and be nice to yourself. I think there are some very good moments in life. There are also other moments that are more difficult, but it’s important, as I said earlier, to be surrounded by the right people and celebrate every single moment along the path; and to be grateful. That’s very much part of my mentality and how I go on with life.
“No matter what I achieve, what I want to leave behind is the image of someone who did absolutely everything in order to achieve his goals.”
On the flip side, you also experience constant pressure in front of cameras and in your career, so how do you stay grounded and focused?
CL: There’s a lot of pressure around because obviously, we are quite exposed to the media. But at the end of the day, if you enjoy what you do and you do it for the sole purpose of making yourself happy, then yeah, I don’t actually feel the pressure.
I feel so grateful of being in the position of doing what I love most. And yes, it comes with responsibility, but first and foremost, I’m very happy to be doing what I do. I feel like whenever you are happy with what you do, you are good at it – just because you are passionate makes you give something extra that others might not have.
Let’s talk about your love for the piano. Can you share more about your self-taught process – how did you learn the keys, notes, and start composing music in just a few years?
CL: I’m a very impatient person. And so, I bought a piano during COVID and started playing. Obviously, I had a lot of free time during that period, so I made a lot of improvements. When COVID stopped, I tried to take lessons, but I was very impatient because I basically had to start the theory from scratch, so I was like, okay, maybe lessons are not my way.
I’ll just try to come up with some melodies and something that sounds nice. And that’s how I started really. Then things came pretty naturally. I think there was always music surrounding me since I was a child – my brother used to play piano – and so I kind of grew up with music, which made it a little bit easier for me. But again, I think passion and just doing what I love doing, which is to play the piano, made me improve very quickly.
What legacy do you hope to leave behind whether on or beyond the racetrack?
CL: No matter what I achieve, what I want to leave behind is the image of someone who did absolutely everything in order to achieve his goals, and someone who truly loved what he was doing – that is good enough for me.
The Chivas Regal Crystalgold is slated to be launched in Malaysia at the end of 2025. Stay up to date on local news at Chivas Regal FB Malaysia or follow Charles Leclerc and Chivas Regal’s journey on Instagram at @charles_leclerc and @chivasregal.
Learn more about Charles Leclerc here or browse more drink stories here.
Photos courtesy of Chivas Regal