Gasly unfiltered! F1's fashion loving fighter lifts the lid on life beyond the grid
Pierre Gasly doesn’t just survive the cut-throat world of Formula One (F1), he thrives in the wreckage of its hardest hits. In this exclusive episode of the F1 TV series Off the Grid, presenter Lawrence Barretto journeys to Milan to step inside the private world of Alpine’s Gasly. Moving away from the high speed intensity of the paddock, the episode offers a raw and intimate look at the man behind the visor. Gasly opens up about the defining moments of his career and life, from the “slam in the face” of being initially passed over for an F1 seat along with his brutal demotion from Red Bull to the profound heartbreak of losing his best friend, Anthoine Hubert. The episode isn’t just a highlight reel of resilience, it’s a tour of his life in Italy, featuring everything from his meticulously kept apartment and energetic dog, Simba, to deep rooted passion for fashion in addition to venturing into football club ownership. Through candid conversations, Gasly reflects on his complex history with former team mate Esteban Ocon and shares his unwavering “delusion” – the firm belief that despite current struggles, he as well as Alpine are on a trajectory toward a World Championship. It is a portrait of a driver who has learned to appreciate the fleeting nature of life while maintaining a laser focused hunger for the top step of the podium.
The most emotional core of the episode is Gasly’s reflection on his childhood friend, Hubert. Gasly explains how they grew up like brothers, eating, training and racing together since the age of nine. He shares a poignant story about their last meeting in Budapest, where he missed the chance to say a proper goodbye, teaching him a lifelong lesson to “never take anything for granted.” As he discloses the chilling coincidence of signing his Alpine contract on Hubert’s birthday, feeling as though “everything fell into place” on that specific day. Despite Alpine recent struggles, the episode concludes with Gasly’s unwavering confidence. He explicitly states his five year goal: becoming World Champion with Alpine. He acknowledges that people might find it “difficult to process” given their current standing but insists the team has the right people to fight at the front.
The episode sparked significant discussion across social media and F1 forums with fans praising the depth of the interview compared to standard “PR friendly” features. For many F1 TV viewers noted the poignancy of Gasly signing his Alpine contract on Hubert’s birthday, calling it “cinematic” and “proof that Anthoine is still with him.” The general consensus from the episode is a newfound respect for Gasly’s mental fortitude. Fans reacted strongly to the realisation that his first race back at Toro Rosso was the same weekend he lost his “brother,” Hubert. As one fan put it: “Hearing Pierre talking about Spa 2019 always gets him choked up … he uses that memory as strength to achieve greatness.”
Unlike his appearances in Drive to Survive, which can feel edited for drama, Gasly’s reflections on his Red Bull demotion are genuinely cutting. Hearing him describe the lack of support and a “strategic dynamic” with an inexperienced engineer provides a rare, grounded look at why elite talents can fail in the wrong environment. The segment on Hubert is handled with extreme grace. It avoids being exploitative, instead focusing on the “lesson of the last hug,” which makes Gasly one of the most relatable and empathetic figures on the grid. The ending can feel slightly “delusional” given the team’s current performance. Depending on your perspective, this is either inspiring confidence or a necessary corporate sound-bite. It is a masterclass in humanising a sport that often feels mechanical. It transforms Gasly from “the guy who won Monza” to a man who has navigated profound professional and personal grief. Whether you’re a die hard fan or a casual viewer, the “seven tenths” of his personality revealed here are worth the watch.
Rating: 4.5/5
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