Jean Alesi is 50!

[good_Ralf]

Today Jean Alesi, one of the unluckiest and fieriest drivers Formula 1 has ever known, turns 50 today. Many happy returns to Jean!

[AndreaModa]

I always remember this moment when I think of Jean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQN49SnvJ_o

[Jocke1]

I always remember this moment when I think of Jean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQN49SnvJ_o

And then he ran out of fuel again in '99..

[Bleu]

Alesi had many amazing starts: Phoenix 1990, Estoril 1993, Monza 1996 etc. Probably he has led more times than anyone in the first corner while not starting in top 3.

[Jocke1]

Alesi had many amazing starts: Phoenix 1990, Estoril 1993, Monza 1996...

..Bahrain 2009 http://youtu.be/5awDdwwXPzg

[MorbidelliObese]

bathplug me I feel old now!

All the best Jean!

[Onxy Wrecked]

Also known as the worst driver in the Indy 500 through no fault of his own... That Lotus engine in IndyCar stank and was a sad foray into IndyCar for Jean Alesi.

[Shizuka]

You know what I would love to see? Alesi as a team owner.

[CoopsII]

He was a driver that never set out to be popular and yet achieved it by simply driving as hard as he could whenever he could. Hamilton could do with taking lessons from the guy and ditch the Pseudo-Senna nonsense.

[LeytonHouse]

Jean Alesi, a true legend, pure passion, style and speed. All the best Jean.

[Londoner]

I think his race at Spa in 2000 perhaps illustrates why Jean was, and still is, so popular. He drove the wheels off that awful Prost all weekend, dragged it kicking and screaming into the points in the race, before the car typically broke down when he was 4th iirc. Many other drivers would have gone beyond caring if they had to drive the 2000 Prost in their career. Not Jean though.

[good_Ralf]

I think his race at Spa in 2000 perhaps illustrates why Jean was, and still is, so popular. He drove the wheels off that awful Prost all weekend, dragged it kicking and screaming into the points in the race, before the car typically broke down when he was 4th iirc. Many other drivers would have gone beyond caring if they had to drive the 2000 Prost in their career. Not Jean though.

Not forgetting he was in theory quite old to be in F1 (he was 36 then). And in Monaco that year he managed to drag the 2000 Prost to 7th on the grid and would have finished on the podium without the car breaking down for the 4,983,793rd time.

There's 0 doubt that Alesi had the speed to be a World Champion and even in the so-so Ferraris and Benettons that he drove, Jean could have won about 10 more races with his driving. Belgium 1991, Belgium 1994, Italy 1994, Belgium 1995, Italy 1995, Europe 1995, Japan 1995, Monaco 1996, Italy 1996, Italy 1997 could have been his but for bad luck, even if in some of those races Jean wasn't the fastest man in the GP.

[watka]

I think his race at Spa in 2000 perhaps illustrates why Jean was, and still is, so popular. He drove the wheels off that awful Prost all weekend, dragged it kicking and screaming into the points in the race, before the car typically broke down when he was 4th iirc. Many other drivers would have gone beyond caring if they had to drive the 2000 Prost in their career. Not Jean though.

Not forgetting he was in theory quite old to be in F1 (he was 36 then). And in Monaco that year he managed to drag the 2000 Prost to 7th on the grid and would have finished on the podium without the car breaking down for the 4,983,793rd time.

There's 0 doubt that Alesi had the speed to be a World Champion and even in the so-so Ferraris and Benettons that he drove, Jean could have won about 10 more races with his driving. Belgium 1991, Belgium 1994, Italy 1994, Belgium 1995, Italy 1995, Europe 1995, Japan 1995, Monaco 1996, Italy 1996, Italy 1997 could have been his but for bad luck, even if in some of those races Jean wasn't the fastest man in the GP.

He should have gone to Williams, but I'm glad we get to see the passionate man that he is at Ferrari (which would have been stifled at Williams).

[LellaLombardi]

I agree, although the 90's Ferraris pre-Schumacher were dogs, Alesi was always a very good fit there.