Formula One driver Pierre Gasly has faced a wave of criticism from fans after sharing photographs from a skiing holiday on the same day Michael Schumacher turned 57.
The 29-year-old Alpine racer posted a series of images to Instagram on Saturday, describing his Alpine getaway with girlfriend Kika Gomes as "snow heaven."
What drew particular attention was Gasly's choice of attire – a red Marlboro jacket reminiscent of the Ferrari-sponsored gear that Schumacher himself frequently wore on the slopes during his racing career.
Some supporters interpreted the outfit as an intentional tribute to the seven-time world champion, though many others condemned the timing as deeply insensitive given the tragic circumstances of Schumacher's 2013 skiing accident.
The backlash on social media was swift and pointed.
"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?"
Formula One driver Pierre Gasly has faced a wave of criticism from fans after sharing photographs from a skiing holiday on the same day Michael Schumacher turned 57
|Others were equally critical, with one describing the post as "very tasteless and very disrespectful and inappropriate."
A third commenter noted it was "not the best choice, seeing where the accident happened."
Beneath Gasly's Instagram post, another fan wrote: "I feel something so wrong when a F1 driver goes skiing."
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Pierre Gasly smiles with his girlfriend while skiing
|One response simply stated: "This type of 'tribute' to Schumacher doesn't seem like the brightest idea."
Schumacher's life changed irrevocably in December 2013 when he struck his head against a rock whilst skiing off-piste in the French Alps, leaving him with a traumatic brain injury.
The accident plunged the racing legend into a medically induced coma, and he has required constant care ever since at his Lake Geneva residence.
His family has maintained strict privacy around his condition, with limited information released about his day-to-day recovery.
This protective approach became necessary following multiple attempts by medical staff and employees to leak details, culminating in a blackmail scheme in 2025 that threatened to expose confidential health information.
Three individuals, including Schumacher's former bodyguard Markus Fritsche, faced trial after hard drives containing private photographs, videos and medical records were stolen.
Michael Schumacher sustained serious injuries while skiing in France back in 2013 | GETTYNightclub bouncer Yilmaz Tozturkan received a three-year prison sentence in February, though he remains free on bail, while his son Daniel Lins was handed a six-month suspended term.
Fritsche received a two-year suspended sentence after denying involvement.
Schumacher's daughter Gina-Maria marked her father's birthday by sharing a childhood family photograph featuring herself, brother Mick, and mother Corinna alongside the racing icon.
She captioned it: "The best forever. Happy birthday, Dad!"
Former Red Bull Head of Operations Richard Hopkins revealed in December that only a handful of people are known to have visiting access to Schumacher.
"But there are fairly strict rules, and we don't talk about those rules," he added.