Gasly says Make-A-Wish work has shaped his outlook

An encounter with a critically ill teenager at Alpine’s Enstone factory has stayed with Pierre Gasly, who says his experiences as a Make-A-Wish ambassador have shaped him and strengthened the way he approaches and views things.

Gasly took the 17-year-old boy on a tour of the UK factory in an Alpine A110 road car. The boy could name every car model they encountered, along with its year, engine and horsepower, Gasly recalled. Gasly said the boy’s car knowledge astonished him and that his positivity stood out.

Within two months, the boy had died from his illness. Gasly says he was already convinced of Make-A-Wish’s value when he became an ambassador for its French office in 2023, but the experience made that value feel even more immediate.

Once established in Formula 1, Gasly says he wanted to use his position to give back, and Make-A-Wish felt like a good fit. His work with the charity has included auctioning helmets and meeting children at the track.

Those encounters affect him, Gasly says, prompting him to reflect on the children’s lives and appreciate the life he is able to lead.