F1 driver Pierre Gasly sparked controversy over what has been perceived as an ill-advised birthday tribute to racing legend Michael Schumacher.
Schumacher has been bed-bound since his tragic ski accident in the French Alps 12 years ago.
He is now cared for by his wife, Corinna, and medical staff at their Lake Geneva home in Switzerland, with details about his health largely kept private.
Pierre Gasly drew backlash after posting photos of a skiing trip in the Alps that appeared to pay tribute to Michael Schumacher
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The former Ferrari driver, who made his last public appearance in 2014, was often photographed on ski slopes wearing his iconic red Ferrari gear, which prominently featured the team’s former tobacco sponsor.
As a result, many believed Gasly was paying tribute to Schumacher when he was seen on a skiing trip in The Alps sporting a red Marlboro jacket similar to the one worn by the German star.
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Taking to Instagram, the Alpine driver posted a carousel of images from the trip a day after Schumacher’s 57th birthday. He captioned the post, “Snow heaven.”
Though Gasly made no mention of Schumacher, the timing of the post and the Marlboro jacket were enough for many F1 fans to conclude he was honoring the sports icon.
The timing and Gasly’s red jacket led many fans to interpret the post as an “disrespectful” tribute to Schumacher
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“I don’t know how he thought that this is a good idea,” one user wrote on X. “Skiing ruined Schumacher’s life forever, so how would you come to the conclusion that you have to pay tribute to the man by skiing on his birthday and posting it on social media?”
“Posting this on Michael’s birthday with the red Marlboro jacket is crazy,” another commented.
“Nahh that feels like disrespect,” echoed a third user.
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“This type of ‘tribute’ to Schumacher doesn’t seem like the brightest idea,” shared someone else, while another called the post “tasteless and inappropriate.”
“You post that on his birthday?” read a separate comment.
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Another group defended the 29-year-old French driver, writing, “Way to honour a legend.”
“Making a big deal out of a jacket is crazy. I think red looks great on him,” one supporter shared.
“How dare anyone wear a red jacket while skiing??” another sarcastically asked.
Schumacher has remained out of the public eye since suffering a traumatic brain injury in the French Alps in 2013
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In December 2013, Schumacher suffered a traumatic brain injury after venturing off-piste and hitting his head on a rock in the French Alps.
He was airlifted to a hospital, where he underwent two surgeries and was placed in a medically induced coma. He was gradually brought out of the coma in April 2014, four months after the accident.
Schumacher’s daughter, Gina, recently wished her father a happy birthday by sharing an old family photo on Instagram.
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“The best forever. Happy birthday, Dad! (red heart emoji),” she captioned the post, which also featured her brother, Mick, and mother, Corinna.
In June, Flavio Briatore, Schumacher’s former boss at Benetton offered a rare insight into the Formula One legend’s health.
Briatore appeared to confirm that the 57-year-old is bed-bound.
“If I close my eyes, I see him smiling after a victory,” he told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. “I prefer to remember him like that rather than him just lying on a bed.”
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Briatore’s ex-wife, Elisabetta Gregoraci, previously revealed that Schumacher “doesn’t speak” but “communicates with his eyes.”
In the 2021 Netflix documentary about his father’s life, Mick Schumacher shared how the devastating accident affected his bond with Michael, saying, “I think dad and me, we would understand each other now in a different way.”
Similarly, Corinna, a champion equestrian, said her husband is undergoing a rehabilitation process and that he is “different, but here.”
Schumacher’s family continues to guard his privacy, allowing only a small circle of friends to visit him
Image credits: gina_schumacher/Instagram
According to former racing driver Philippe Streiff, the F1 legend is in a wheelchair and has “memory problems and speech problems.”
Last April, Schumacher was able to sign a helmet with Corinna’s help to be auctioned for a charity supporting dementia prevention.
Johnny Herbert, Schumacher’s teammate at Benetton in 1994 and 1995, described the moment as “emotional” and expressed hope that it could be a sign of possible recovery.
The Schumachers are highly protective of Michael’s privacy, with reports indicating that only a limited number of non-family members are allowed to visit him.
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According to The Telegraph, these include French racing executive Jean Todt, former Ferrari driver Ross Brawn, and Austrian former driver Gerhard Berger.
Last February, Yilmaz Tozturkan, a nightclub bouncer, was sentenced to three years in prison after attempting to blackmail the Schumachers with confidential medical records, photos, and videos he had reportedly received from Schumacher’s former bodyguard.
Schumacher is one of the most successful F1 drivers of all time, having won seven Formula One World Drivers’ Championship titles.
At the time of his retirement, the Hürth native held the records for most wins, pole positions, and fastest laps.
Some people said Pierre Gasly’s post was “tone deaf” and “tasteless”
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