Tribute to Michael Schumacher or fall from grace? Pierre Gasly breaks the silence

A tribute to Michael Schumacher, however, which turned the noses of many. Inducing the person directly concerned to clarify his intentions. The person concerned answers to the name of Pierre Gasly, a French driver who in the course of his now long career in F1 (in 2026 he will begin his tenth season in the top formula) has not infrequently distinguished himself by his sensitivity, as well as his talent. A post of his dedicated to the Kaiser on a sensitive day like Jan. 3, however, has caused him a certain amount of criticism, to which the Alpine bearer has meanwhile decided to respond.

Marco Enzo Venturini

January 3 was indeed Michael Schumacher’s 57th birthday, the same day Gasly posted a photo of him on the ski slopes. The choice that several Formula 1 fans did not like at all, however, was to wear a Ferrari red suit. And that, moreover, featured the logo of a famous tobacco sponsor that has marked the German’s entire career under the Cavallino insignia. The icing on the cake was the caption written by the Alpine driver: “Snow heaven”. That is, in Italian, “snowy paradise”.

If Gasly’s intentions were to pay homage to Schumacher, some have interpreted his post to the contrary as a tasteless choice in style, timing, and especially location. On the sidelines of the presentation of the new Alpine A526, the French driver (who, moreover, is known for the many years he spent living in Milan) wanted to explain his reasons. “I am a big fan of Michael. I always have been. And I love skiing, I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. And I have one of his jackets, because he has been an idol of mine since I was a kid” he said.

“I think I have always shown myself to be a very respectful person – Gasly then added -Maybe in my life I have had two idols, at most. And one of them was and is Michael Schumacher. So I never thought I would say something negative about him with that post. But, unfortunately, this is the life we live”.

Gasly, a Frenchman born in 1996, is one of the drivers who repeatedly expressed condolences over the 2015 death of compatriot Jules Bianchi. On the occasion of the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix, his particularly poignant and vociferous protests over the return of a tractor to the track at Suzuka were remembering the dynamics that eight years earlier had then resulted in the tragic accident of the Marussia driver.