MIAMI — Formula 1 driver Pierre Gasly revealed the “best experience of [his] life” — and it wasn’t his stunning win at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix.
The Alpha Tauri ace dined with basketball legend Michael Jordan in Miami, exchanging stories for three hours in what was “by far” his greatest life experience.
“It was the most inspiring dinner I’ve ever had … I’ll remember [it] all my life,” Gasly told reporters ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, which he labelled the “Super Bowl of F1.”
“Everyone says you should never meet your idols because you can only be disappointed and to me it’s been the complete opposite.”
Gasly said he was particularly impressed by the six-time NBA champion’s “mentality” which puts him in “another league”
“The guy’s a genius … the way he’s thinking intellectually. I was very, very impressed,” the French driver continued, noting the basketball great was a “massive F1 fan.”
Pierre Gasly, pictured with James Kirkham and his teammate Yuki Tsunoda, was also seen at Red Bull Guest House over the Miami Grand Prix weekend. Jeremy Deputat“He almost knows the sport better than I do. It was very impressive and just great to discuss with such a legend. I didn’t know he wakes up every single Sunday morning to watch all our races. Everyone can imagine it’s not easy to be Michael Jordan and to show up to events … So even though we don’t see him, he follows everything.”
Gasly gifted Jordan one of his crash helmets from his maiden F1 win at Monza in 2020, while the sporting icon returned the favor with a pair of signed Jordan sneakers.
Pierre Gasly was victorious at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix. NurPhoto via Getty Images“It was more about exchanging with such a champion,” Gasly said. “You always learn so much about these guys and the way they approach sport, success, failures – anything – and how they got to that level and maintained this performance.
“I don’t think there was anyone else in the world I would have liked to meet more than him. So, it was definitely a very, very special dinner.”
Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton played golf with Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady. Getty ImagesElsewhere, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton connected with a legend of another sport: seven-time Super Bowl winner, Tom Brady.
The pair teamed up for a charity event at the Miami Beach Golf Club with Swiss luxury watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen.
“I’ll stick to driving on the track,” Hamilton quipped after sending a golfing drive into the water at the 10th Tee.
