Pierre Gasly has taken a diverse range of passengers for hot laps around F1 circuits, from former driver Karun Chandhok to WWE Superstar ‘The Miz.’ Surprising him by being in the passenger seat isn’t easy. But his father, Jean-Jacques, managed to do just that earlier this year.
Alpine released a video on 13 October, which showed Jean-Jacques, gearing up to surprise his son Pierre at Monza. The Frenchman knew that he was going to be a part of a hot lap around the Temple of Speed. What he didn’t know was that his dad would be joining him.
Pierre glanced over as his dad got into the car and the two let out a laugh. According to the video, he didn’t say a word, just smiled and gave a fist bump, clearly speechless at the surprise Alpine had arranged for him.
A wholesome moment
Jean-Jacques, @pierregasly‘s dad, surprised him in Monza for a @PirelliSport Hotlap in an @AlpineCars A110 pic.twitter.com/LMLS7UpCHS
— BWT Alpine Formula One Team (@AlpineF1Team) October 13, 2024
Jean-Jacques thoroughly enjoyed his son’s driving, calling it ‘brilliant’ and expressing how ‘very happy’ he was to experience this alongside his 28-year-old son. Likewise, Pierre was thrilled to take his dad for a hot lap, saying it felt like ‘winning’ a race.
Jean-Jacques appeared immensely proud of how far his son has come, and Pierre knows he wouldn’t be where he is today without the support of his parents and siblings. He has always praised them for their sacrifices and holds them in the highest regard.
Gasly once claimed he made it to F1 solely because of his parents
Five years ago, Pierre sat down with L’Equipe, where he opened up about how his family’s unwavering support helped turn his dream of competing at the pinnacle of motorsport into reality.
“This would not have been possible without my parents,” the 28-year-old had said. “When I was in a go-kart, my father took care of the technology. One of my brothers also came to help.”
“At the age of thirteen and fourteen, I put my parents in a difficult financial situation by pursuing my dream. They had to make sacrifices,” he added.
The Alpine driver went on to say that, even at a young age, he was fully aware of the strings his family had pulled to help him pursue his dream. Now, he feels ‘glad’ to bring them to the F1 paddock, seeing it as his ‘way of thanking them’ for everything they’ve done.
