Formula 1 world championship leader Charles Leclerc has been robbed of a $320,000 Richard Mille watch in Italy on Monday night.

The Ferrari driver was out in the Tuscan city of Viareggio with friends including his trainer Andrea Ferrari according to Italian reports.

Leclerc stopped for autographs and photographs with fans after he was recognised in the unlit Via Salvatori area at around 10pm in the evening on Easter Monday.

As Leclerc’s presence drew a lot of attention from fans a thief grabbed the 24-year-old's watch and managed to escape before he even noticed.

With the thief having got away, the Monagasque reported the incident to the police and they are investigating whether the robbery was opportunistic or pre planned.

Leclerc’s trainer Ferrari, who is from Viareggio expressed his anger in an Instagram post on Tuesday.

Ferrari said: "Via Salvatori has been completely in the dark for months. We have been reporting this for months.

"Well, yesterday evening in Via Salvatori, they have robbed us. Think of arranging the lamps sooner or later? Asking for a friend.”

Leclerc is in Italy for this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the infamous Imola circuit. He won last time out in Australia taking advantage of Max Verstappen’s unreliable Red Bull and extending his championship lead.

After his second victory of the season the world championship leader retuned home to Monaco and visited the Monte-Carlo Masters tennis tournament last week.

The world renowned Swiss watch maker Richard Mille became a partner of Ferrari in 2021 and is a long-time sponsor of Leclerc.

Leclerc is not the first driver to be robbed of an expensive watch. McLaren driver Lando Norris was wearing a prototype Richard Mille watch which was taken from his wrist last year at Wembley Stadium during the EURO 2020 final.