Pierre Gasly caused outrage when he was spotted skiing in a Michael Schumacher suit this winter: “Unfortunately, that’s the world we live in.”
Many Formula 1 fans felt uneasy when they followed the activities of some Formula 1 drivers on social media during the winter. Pierre Gasly in particular caused a stir a few days ago with a post on Instagram.
The Frenchman was seen skiing in a red jacket that was clearly reminiscent of Michael Schumacher.
Some people found this post rather insensitive, given that the seven-time world champion had been involved in a skiing accident twelve years earlier and has not been in the public eye since. The family still keeps the German’s condition a closely guarded secret. However, Gasly himself wants to see this photo in a positive light: “I’m a big fan of Michael. I’ve always shown him respect. I think I’ve always been open about the fact that he was one of my idols growing up,” says the Alpine driver.
He noticed that some people interpreted this photo negatively. “I think that’s just the way life is, unfortunately,” he says. “I think I always show that I’m someone who is very respectful. I’ve had a few idols in my life. Michael was and is one of them. So I didn’t mean anything [negative] by it for a single second.“
And even though his idol had a serious skiing accident, he doesn’t want to give up this hobby in his free time: ”I love skiing. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. I think it really helps you switch off,” he says.
He only took two weeks off before the new season: one to celebrate Christmas with his family and one with his friends. “I just need that to get away from the environment we normally operate in and simply return to a more traditional life with my friends.”
“I really enjoy that part of things.”
But now it’s back to business for him: Alpine unveiled the design for its A526 today. Test drives for the 2026 Formula 1 season will begin in Barcelona next week.
