Jean Alesi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean Alesi
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Alesi in 2019
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| Born |
Giovanni Roberto Alesi
11 June 1964 |
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| Spouse(s) |
Laurence Bahrfeld
(m. 1992; div. 1995)Kumiko Goto
(m. 1995) |
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| Children | 4, including Giuliano | ||||||
| Formula One World Championship career | |||||||
| Nationality |  French |
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| Active years | 1989–2001 | ||||||
| Teams | Tyrrell, Ferrari, Benetton, Sauber, Prost, Jordan | ||||||
| Entries | 202 (201 starts) | ||||||
| Championships | 0 | ||||||
| Wins | 1 | ||||||
| Podiums | 32 | ||||||
| Career points | 241 | ||||||
| Pole positions | 2 | ||||||
| Fastest laps | 4 | ||||||
| First entry | 1989 French Grand Prix | ||||||
| First win | 1995 Canadian Grand Prix | ||||||
| Last entry | 2001 Japanese Grand Prix | ||||||
| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |||||||
| Years | 1989, 2010 | ||||||
| Teams | Schuppan, AF Corse | ||||||
| Best finish | 16th (2010) | ||||||
| Class wins | 0 | ||||||
| IndyCar Series career | |||||||
| 1 race run over 1 year | |||||||
| Team(s) | No. 64 (Fan Force United) | ||||||
| First race | 2012 Indianapolis 500 (Indy) | ||||||
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| Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters career | |||||||
| Years active | 2002–2006 | ||||||
| Teams | Persson, HWA | ||||||
| Starts | 62 | ||||||
| Wins | 5 | ||||||
| Podiums | 8 | ||||||
| Poles | 3 | ||||||
| Fastest laps | 1 | ||||||
| Best finish | 5th in 2002, 2003 | ||||||
| Awards | |||||||
| 2006 |  Knight of the Legion of Honour |
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Jean Robert Alesi, born Giovanni Roberto Alesi on June 11, 1964, is a French former racing driver. He is best known for competing in Formula One from 1989 to 2001. Alesi achieved his only Formula One victory at the 1995 Canadian Grand Prix while driving for Ferrari.
He was born and grew up in Avignon, France. Alesi began his racing journey in karting at age 16. He originally wanted to compete in rallying. He then moved into open-wheel racing at 20. He won the French Formula Three Championship in 1987. After that, he moved up to International Formula 3000. His championship win with Jordan in 1989 led him to Formula One. He joined the Tyrrell team in 1989. Alesi was known for his skill in wet weather and his passionate racing style.
After his Formula One career, Alesi continued racing. He competed in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) from 2002 to 2006, winning several races. He also raced in the Speedcar Series, the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2010, and the Indianapolis 500 in 2012. He retired from motor racing in 2012. Since 2013, he has worked as an ambassador for Pirelli, a tire company. In 2006, Alesi was honored as a Knight of the Legion of Honour in France.
Contents
Early Racing Days
Jean Alesi was born Giovanni Roberto Alesi in Avignon, France. His parents were from Sicily. His father, Franco, owned a car repair garage. Jean spent a lot of time there as a child. This is where he developed his love for cars. His father also introduced him to motorsport. He competed in amateur rallying and hillclimb events. Sometimes, his father would lend his rally cars to a family friend, Jean Ragnotti. Ragnotti later became a professional rally driver.
Jean started karting when he was 16 years old. In 1983, he began racing cars in the French Renault 5 Turbo championship. He raced there for two seasons. In 1987, he won the French Formula 3 title. After that, he moved up to International Formula 3000 in 1988. The 1988 season was a bit tough for him. However, in 1989, he joined the Jordan Formula 3000 team. He then won the championship that year. He tied on points with his rival Érik Comas but won because he had more race victories. In the same year, he also raced in the Le Mans 24 hours race. Unfortunately, a fire forced him to stop early.
Formula One Journey
Starting with Tyrrell (1989–1990)
Jean Alesi's start in Formula One was a bit lucky. Before the 1989 French Grand Prix, the Tyrrell team signed a sponsorship deal. This caused a problem for their driver, Michele Alboreto, who had a rival sponsor. So, Tyrrell needed a new driver. They chose Alesi because he was leading the International Formula 3000 series.
Alesi made his Formula One debut at the 1989 French Grand Prix. He drove for Tyrrell and finished fourth. He even ran as high as second place during the race. The team boss, Ken Tyrrell, was very impressed. He gave Alesi an eighteen-month contract. Alesi continued to race for Tyrrell for most of the season. He also kept racing in Formula 3000. He scored more points at the Italian and Spanish Grands Prix.
In 1990, Alesi became Tyrrell's main driver. This was his first full year in Formula One. At the first race in the United States, he led for 25 laps. He was even ahead of the famous Ayrton Senna. Alesi's car had a less powerful engine than Senna's McLaren. He even passed Senna back after being overtaken. He finished second in that race. He also finished second at the Monaco Grand Prix. By mid-season, top teams wanted to sign him for 1991. Alesi finished ninth in the championship with 13 points.
Years with Ferrari (1991–1995)
Alesi first signed a contract with Williams for 1991. But Williams kept delaying the announcement. Alesi got tired of waiting. So, he decided to sign with Ferrari instead. He joined his fellow countryman Alain Prost at Ferrari. Ferrari had to pay Williams a fine for this.
In 1991, Alesi finished third in races in Monaco, Germany, and Portugal. He also finished in the top six in Brazil, France, Hungary, and Spain. However, the Ferrari car was not very reliable. He had nine retirements that season. This included a mechanical problem when he was leading the Belgian Grand Prix. His teammate, Prost, was let go after the Japanese Grand Prix. This made Alesi the team's main driver for 1992. Alesi finished seventh in the championship with 21 points.
In 1992, Alesi's new teammate was Ivan Capelli. The Ferrari F92A car was even slower than the year before. Alesi had no real chance to win a race. He finished third in the Spanish Grand Prix after a strong drive in the rain. He also finished third in Canada. He showed great skill in wet weather in France. He drove as fast as Nigel Mansell's Williams on slick tires. But he had another engine failure. Alesi finished seventh in the championship with 18 points.
In 1993, Gerhard Berger joined Alesi at Ferrari. The Ferrari F93A was very slow in testing. The car's "active" suspension was unreliable. Alesi had four retirements in the first five races. He even thought about leaving Ferrari. But he finished third in the Monaco Grand Prix. In July, he signed a new two-year contract with Ferrari. The car improved later in the season. Alesi finished second at Monza. He then led early in the race in Portugal, finishing fourth. Alesi finished sixth in the championship with 16 points.
In 1994, the Ferrari car was much more competitive. But it was still unreliable. Alesi finished third in the first race. Then he hurt his back in a testing accident. He missed two races and was replaced by Nicola Larini. He returned with a fifth place in Monaco. He finished a strong third in Canada. He was looking good for the German Grand Prix, starting second. But his engine failed on the first lap. He took his first pole position at Monza. He led until his first pit stop, but his gearbox failed. Alesi finished third in Japan and sixth in Australia. He finished fifth in the championship with 24 points.
The Ferrari car got even better in 1995. Alesi had better results. He finished fifth in Brazil and second in Argentina and Imola. At the Canadian Grand Prix, on his 31st birthday, he won his first and only race. This happened because Michael Schumacher had mechanical problems near the end. Alesi didn't even know he was leading for a while! His car ran out of fuel after crossing the finish line. Michael Schumacher gave him a ride back to the pits. He finished second at the British Grand Prix. He then had four retirements in a row. He was very upset when he heard he was losing his Ferrari spot to Michael Schumacher. Alesi finished fifth in the drivers' championship with 42 points.
Benetton Team (1996–1997)
In 1996, Michael Schumacher moved from Benetton to Ferrari. Alesi and his teammate Gerhard Berger swapped places with him. Benetton had been the champions, but their performance dropped. Many team members left for Ferrari with Schumacher. The 1996 Benetton car was good but slower than the Williams. It also didn't improve much during the season.
Alesi's season started with a crash. But he then got two podium finishes. He had five more podium finishes later in the season. At the Italian Grand Prix, he led until the pit stops. Michael Schumacher then passed him with a better race strategy. Alesi finished fourth in the drivers' championship with 47 points. This was his best career result.
In 1997, Alesi was warned by his team boss, Flavio Briatore. He was told that 1997 was his last chance for good results. The car was good in testing. But key people like Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne joined Schumacher at Ferrari. Benetton's performance was up and down. Alesi had some embarrassing moments. In Australia, he ignored radio messages to pit and ran out of fuel. He scored only three points in the next four races. But then he had a strong run with some podiums. He moved up to third place in the championship. Alesi finished fourth in the championship with 36 points. His time at Benetton hurt his reputation. He didn't win a Grand Prix even with a competitive car. His contract with Benetton was not renewed. He signed a two-year deal with Sauber.
Sauber Team (1998–1999)
Alesi moved to the Swiss team Sauber in 1998. He teamed up with Johnny Herbert. They were the most experienced driver pair that season. Alesi's results were not as good as before. But his reputation improved. He put in many strong performances despite his car's weaknesses. He finished fifth in Argentina and sixth at Imola. He had many retirements due to unreliability. He achieved the last podium of his career at the rainy Belgian Grand Prix. He finished third behind the Jordans. He also scored points in Italy. Alesi finished eleventh in the championship with nine points. He clearly outperformed his teammate.
The 1999 Sauber car was slower and less reliable. Alesi retired in the first two races. His first points came in the third race, with a sixth-place finish. He had several other retirements. He even started on the front row at the French Grand Prix in wet qualifying. During the summer, people thought he might return to Ferrari. But Ferrari signed Rubens Barrichello instead. Alesi then signed with Prost Grand Prix. He criticized Sauber's engineers for not improving the car. He finished sixteenth in the championship with two points.
Prost and Jordan (2000–2001)
For the 2000 season, Alesi joined the Prost team. It was owned by his former Ferrari teammate, Alain Prost. However, the car was very slow and unreliable. Alesi did not score a single point that season. This was the first time in his career. He criticized the car and its engines. A bad accident in Germany threatened his ability to race in Hungary. But he was able to compete.
In 2001, the Prost car was more reliable. Alesi finished every race he drove for the team. He scored his first points since 1999 at the Monaco Grand Prix, finishing sixth. He then finished fifth at the Canadian Grand Prix. He celebrated by doing "donuts" and throwing his helmet into the crowd. After the German Grand Prix, Alesi left Prost. This happened because Heinz-Harald Frentzen was suddenly fired by Jordan. Frentzen joined Prost, and Alesi joined Jordan. Alesi was fined and criticized by Prost.
Alesi had driven for Jordan in Formula 3000 when he won the championship in 1989. He drove the last five races of 2001 for Jordan. He scored his last Formula One points in Belgium, finishing sixth. Alesi made his 200th Formula One start in the United States Grand Prix. He ended his F1 career at the Japanese Grand Prix. He retired after a collision on lap 5. He was generally slower than his teammate, Jarno Trulli. Jordan decided to sign Takuma Sato for 2002. Alesi was offered a drive with Arrows. But he did not want to race another season in a slow car. So, he decided to retire from Formula One.
Life After Formula One
DTM Racing (2002–2006)
After leaving Formula One, Jean Alesi raced in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM). This is a German Touring Car Championship. He raced for Mercedes. In 2002, he finished fifth in the championship and won one race. He repeated this in 2003, winning two races. In 2004, he finished seventh without any wins. In 2005, he won the first race and finished seventh overall again. He retired from DTM after finishing ninth in the 2006 season.
Speedcar Series (2008–2009)
Alesi joined other former Formula One drivers in the Speedcar Series. This was a racing series in the Middle East. He won two races in the first season and finished fourth in the championship. He finished fifth in the second and final season of the Speedcar Series, winning two more races in 2009.
Le Mans and IndyCar (2010–2012)
In 2010, Alesi teamed up with another former F1 Ferrari driver, Giancarlo Fisichella. They raced in the Le Mans Series in the GT2 class for Ferrari's AF Corse team. They finished on the podium in their first two races. Alesi, Fisichella, and Toni Vilander also raced in the Le Mans 24-hour race. They finished fourth in their class. They finished second in the championship that year.
In April 2012, Alesi announced he would race in the 2012 Indianapolis 500. He drove a car with a Lotus engine. He qualified 33rd for the race. However, his car and another Lotus-powered car were very underpowered. They could not keep up the speed in the race. Both cars had to stop after less than a dozen laps. On December 18, 2012, Alesi announced he planned to stop racing. He said he could not find the money needed for another attempt.
Driver Style and Helmet
Driving Style
When Jean Alesi raced for Ferrari from 1991 to 1995, he was known for his aggressive driving. His car also had the number 27, which led people to compare him to the famous driver Gilles Villeneuve.
Helmet Design
Alesi's helmet was white with black and red lines on the front. His name was written on it. This design was a tribute to another driver, Elio de Angelis. The top part of his helmet was a deep blue. In 1999, his helmet color changed from white to silver. This was because one of Sauber's sponsors was Red Bull.
Other Activities
Jean Alesi made a small appearance as himself in the 2001 movie .... This film was about CART IndyCar racing.
In 2011, Alesi became an ambassador for the Lotus Renault GP team. He also became a test driver for their T125 single-seater project. On an episode of the BBC TV show Top Gear, Alesi helped the presenter test one of the Lotus T125 cars.
Since 2013, Alesi has been an ambassador for Pirelli, a company that makes tires.
Personal Life
Jean Alesi was married to Laurence Bahrfeld. They have a daughter named Charlotte. He later married Kumiko Goto, a Japanese model and actress. They have three children: a daughter named Helena and two sons, Giuliano and John. Giuliano Alesi is also a racing driver. Helena Alesi made her debut at the 2017 Le Bal des Débutantes.
Alesi enjoys wine and has a vineyard near his hometown of Avignon. He lives there with his wife and children. He is also a fan of the Italian football team Juventus.
In 2005, Alesi legally changed his name to Jean Robert Alesi. In 2006, he was awarded the title of Knight in France's Legion of Honour.
Images for kids
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Knight of the Legion of Honour ribbon
See also
In Spanish: Jean Alesi para niños
