Last Updated on January 6 2026, 11:33 am

In recent days, tributes to the Formula 1 legend have multiplied as he marked his 57th birthday on 3 January. More than a decade after his tragic skiing accident, the seven-time world champion remains an iconic yet deeply private figure in motorsport. Among the many messages shared, one particular tribute stood out, and not necessarily for the intended reasons.

Pierre Gasly, the current Alpine driver and Formula 1 race winner, posted an image on Instagram that quickly sparked debate among fans and observers. What initially seemed to be a respectful nod to Schumacher soon became a controversial topic. For many, Gasly’s ‘tribute’ was very much in bad taste.

 

 

Michael Schumacher: A Legacy Guarded by Silence

Over 12 years have now passed since Michael Schumacher suffered his devastating skiing accident on 27 December 2013. The incident left him in a coma for several days and fundamentally altered his life. Since then, the Schumacher family has opted for strict privacy, releasing virtually no information about his health or daily life.

This silence has only served to amplify the aura surrounding Schumacher. For his fans, he remains frozen in time as the relentless Ferrari-era champion: dominant, uncompromising and untouchable.

Any public reference to Schumacher, particularly by active drivers, is therefore carefully scrutinised, often through an emotional lens shaped by respect and loss.

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Pierre Gasly’s Instagram post sparked debate

On 3 January, while the motorsport world was paying tribute to Schumacher’s birthday, Pierre Gasly shared a photo on Instagram of himself wearing a bright red ski jacket. The colour and design immediately reminded many fans of the iconic Ferrari red that Schumacher wore during his most successful years in Formula 1.

However, the context of the image quickly became the focal point of controversy. Gasly was skiing when the photo was taken, a detail that was impossible to ignore, given the circumstances of Schumacher’s accident. While Gasly did not explicitly reference the accident, the symbolism was enough to unsettle some fans.

For some, the image was poorly judged. The combination of skiing, Ferrari red and Schumacher’s birthday was seen as an uncomfortable coincidence at best and an inappropriate tribute at worst.

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Was it an inappropriate tribute or an unfortunate coincidence?

Reactions online were immediate and divided. Critics accused Gasly of ‘bad timing’ and questioned his judgement in choosing such an image on such a sensitive date. Others argued that, given Schumacher’s history, any tribute involving skiing was bound to be controversial, regardless of intent.

Comments ranged from disappointment to outright criticism, with some fans suggesting that the post should have been avoided altogether. ‘This kind of tribute doesn’t feel right,” wrote one user, echoing a widely shared sentiment across social media.

Yet not all responses were negative. Several fans defended Gasly, pointing out that there was no malicious intent and that skiing remains a popular winter activity for drivers and athletes. Others focused on the nostalgia evoked by the jacket itself, praising its classic Ferrari look and the subtle reminder it provided of Schumacher’s golden era.

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NEXT ARTICLE – Ferrari’s 2 cars designed for 2026. More Maranello madness?

The six race run in which concluded the 2024 Formula One season did not quite have the excitement of 2025 where the drivers’ championship was decided at the final chequered flag of the season. Max Verstappen in fact claimed the 2024 title in Las Vegas with two race weekends remaining.

However in terms of the constructors’ championship, the 2024 run in was nail biting for McLaren who once held a 74 point lead over Ferrari as the sport embarked on its final two triple header six races.

Two wins together with six podiums from Austin to Abu Dhabi saw the Scuderia come within just 14 points of their first championship since 2008. Yet at the annual Ferrari festive bash, Fred Vasseur announced that their 2025 F1 challenger would be an entirely new car.

 

Ferrari strange decision in 2024

This was confusing for a number of reasons. Firstly the SF-24 finished the year the strongest, but the Scuderia designed a car for 2025 that was “99% new components.” The team switched their tried and tested front suspension from its push rod configuration to a pull rod design.

But this was the final year of a set of car design technical regulations and the remainder of the field were refining their 2024 challenger. The result? The decision was proven to be a huge mistake, as the Scuderia failed to win a single Grand Prix and claimed just seven podiums all thanks to Charles Leclerc.

Now La Gazzetta in Italy is reporting Ferrari have design two cars for 2026, one for early testing and the other for the opening round of the season in Australia. Of course teams historically have launched a car for testing and then refined it significantly before it first races in anger, but two cars to start the year?

Yet building two different cars before the tyre turns in anger seems a strange approach, yet the madness of Maranello means nothing can be ruled out from the mercurial F1 racers. “Fred Vasseur’s team will present itself to the pre-seasonal tests with different versions of the same car, to best test solutions and set-ups,” reports La Gazetta…READ MORE ON THIS STORY