Jean Alesi

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Alesi was born in Avignon to Sicilian parents. He started karting aged 16 and won the French Formula Three Championship in 1987. He won the International Formula 3000 title with Jordan in 1989. He made his Formula One debut with Tyrrell at the 1989 French Grand Prix, finishing fourth. He scored his maiden podium at the opening round of the 1990 season, repeating this feat in Monaco. He signed for Ferrari in 1991 to partner Alain Prost, scoring several podiums across five seasons before taking his sole victory at the 1995 Canadian Grand Prix. He left Ferrari at the end of the 1995 season after twice finishing fifth in the standings, swapping seats with Michael Schumacher to join Benetton. He later drove for Sauber, Prost, and Jordan before retiring at the conclusion of the 2001 season. Alesi holds the joint-record for most podium finishes before first win (fifteen). After Formula One, he raced in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters from 2002 to 2006, the Speedcar Series, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Indianapolis 500 in 2012. He was appointed a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 2006.

In Their Own Story

The defining moment of Alesi's Ferrari career arrived at the 1995 Canadian Grand Prix. After years of battling inferior machinery and mechanical heartbreaks, he finally secured his sole victory with the Prancing Horse. This win was particularly significant as it came after a period where he had finished fifth in the standings twice consecutively. Prior to this triumph, Alesi had accumulated fifteen podium finishes without a win, holding the joint-record for most podiums before a first victory. His driving style during these years was characterized by aggression and fluidity, often passing more powerful cars like Senna's McLaren at the 1990 United States Grand Prix while still in a Tyrrell. Although he left Ferrari at the end of the 1995 season to join Benetton, swapping seats with Michael Schumacher, his emotional connection to the team remained strong, evidenced by his ability to consistently extract performance from uncompetitive cars.

Reader's Guide

Alesi's Ferrari years (1991–1995): He finished 7th in the championship in 1991 and 7th in 1992. He became the team's number one driver for 1992 after Prost was sacked following the 1991 Japanese Grand Prix. His only win for Ferrari was the 1995 Canadian Grand Prix.

Did You Know?

• Alesi won the 1995 Canadian Grand Prix, his only Formula One victory.
• He holds the joint-record for most podium finishes before his first win (fifteen).
• Alesi was appointed a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 2006.