49 replies to this topic

[Linus27]

OH know, its the kiss of death :)

Watch out! Jean's back

Jean Alesi has warned Formula 1 fans to expect fireworks now that he is back in a competitive car.

The veteran sealed his move to Jordan yesterday, ending a nightmare 18 months with the crisis-torn Prost team. Alesi – reunited with Eddie Jordan 12 years after they won the F3000 title together – is now determined to make up for lost time.

He told his website: "From Budapest, I’ll have a car which is capable of being on the podium. That’s a real boost for my motivation. I’m looking forward to showing that I’m as fast as I’ve always been. Watch out!

"My relationship with Eddie Jordan goes back a long way. It was with him that I won the 1989 Formula 3000 title.

"We promised then that if he ever got his own team going in F1, we’d resurrect our partnership. For various reasons over the past few years, that hasn’t been possible. But at last, we’re back together."

Alesi said he had been desperate to quit Prost since the British Grand Prix nearly a month ago.

He explained: "Things really didn’t go the way I’d expected at Prost. There’s no need to dwell on the subject, but on the Monday after Silverstone I received a letter from Alain’s solicitor which really upset me. After that, all I wanted was to leave.

"I never for a moment thought I’d find another seat so quickly. I’m very relieved that I didn’t stay on the market for too long!"

[arcwulf7]

Hmmm, Alesi seems pretty fired up, might be a good show, or it might just be another smoking Jordan parked beside the wall. Wonder what that letter from Prost's soliciter was all about -- something about rearrangement of Alesi's salary in light of Prost's financial difficulties maybe ??

[RAD]

I hope he still thinks the car will be capable of finishing on the podium after Hungary. If he can just keep the thing going like he did with the Prost then I think he'll have a good shot at a third place.

[tifosi]

Go Jean!!!!!


I really hope to see him do well. At least first of the Honda's, who knows anything can happen, a little wet in Spa????? Donuts for 6th place, what will happen if he wins. He seems very confident, I mean Jordan haven't exactly set the grid on fire, but what the heck, he's my favorite driver outside of Ferrari.

[Jhope]

Originally posted by arcwulf7
...Wonder what that letter from Prost's soliciter was all about -- something about rearrangement of Alesi's salary in light of Prost's financial difficulties maybe ??

Actually, the letter was in response to the criticism Alesi had towards the management of the team, and it's technical staff. He was deducted half a million dollars and told never to speak of the team again. Hello!!!! He's not the only driver in the world to criticise his team. Why on earth do you fine him if all others don't?

[Locai]

Jean Alesi
"Things really didn’t go the way I’d expected at Prost"

Is that the understatement of the year or what!?

[TrulliJV@McLaren]

Well, let's hope he doesn't get too fired up... might get in someone's way and end up in the wall.... he's had his share of unlucky DNF's in the past...
I think he's gonna have to get used to starting races at the front of the pack ....I'm no racer, but I bet it's very different when you start front to middle rather than at the end...

[RJL]

Originally posted by Jhope


Actually, the letter was in response to the criticism Alesi had towards the management of the team, and it's technical staff. He was deducted half a million dollars and told never to speak of the team again. Hello!!!! He's not the only driver in the world to criticise his team. Why on earth do you fine him if all others don't?

Apparantly, the team critisized him heavily in the French press after the French GP, where he did not go at all well. He said he couldn't find a setting that made the car work. They questioned his motivation, said he was too distracted at his home GP, and that he was unable to come to grips with the new "driver aids". Now that is ironic, don'tcha think?

Anyway by the time of the British GP it was discovered that there was a manufacturing defect in the floor of Alesi's race car which was affecting the aerodynamic performance. Needless to say, Alesi was pissed and he said some stuff about how disappointed he was that the team would critisize him in public before they even solved the problem, etc, etc.

So Alain (who is going completely broke) uses this as an excuse to try to get out of paying Jean's salary (what a classy guy) by having his lawyers send Jean a letter fining him a half million for basically defending himself. I imagine Jean's great friendship with Alain is over. This is all crap I found while searching the internet, so make of it what you will, but clearly some there is some bad blood now between Jean & Alain.

[614david]

Fantastic:)
As long as those Fireworks don't hit Mika's and David's cars, then i'm all for Alesi back in a competitive seat:)

[umma gumma]

yeah!!!

go alesi!!

this should be great......!! can't wait. qualifying should be entertaining.


hell, I reckon ALL the teams should swap drivers a couple times a season. I'd like to see what schumaker could do with a minardi

[Singing in the rain]

Go & Show!

[Linus27]

Umma

Schuey would be crap in a Minardi. His team mate would not be good enough to get into a position to hand him race wins like all his other team mates do.

[Smooth]

Originally posted by Linus27
Umma

Schuey would be crap in a Minardi. His team mate would not be good enough to get into a position to hand him race wins like all his other team mates do.

I will not comment, and leave this thread, but now you owe me one!;)

[LuckyStrike1]

He never says what kind of fireworks though ....on the track or out of the car when the engine explodes into flames

[Linus27]

Smooth

OK, fair point.

[Todd]

Originally posted by Linus27
Umma

Schuey would be crap in a Minardi. His team mate would not be good enough to get into a position to hand him race wins like all his other team mates do.

If Michael's teammates are good enough to have handed him 50 wins, then he has had better teammates than the felchers give him credit for. If Eddie and Rubens gave him the 31 at Ferrari, then they are both better than JV or DC.

[FlatFoot]

:yawn:
Alesi said the same things back in February when the car was 'light' testing and setting all sort of lap records. How funny to look back on now. My prediction is that Alesi will be very UNDERwhelming in his debut. I suspect he'll stall on the formation grid as well.

Any word yet if EJ is going to force Jean to use driver's aids? Hope he doesn't let Jean bully this issue around like Prost did. Stupid mistake to let him drive w/o aids when everyone else is.

[umma gumma]

ha ha ha....!!

good to see you guys are still healthy & arguing about the same old things, I haven't been in here in ages.......glad things are going well......

[ebe]

Alesi is very easily:
- angry about things his team boss(es) say
- exited about different situations in F1
- slamming the door screaming out loud: 'I will leave at once'
..
..
- in the gravel or in the wall

I hope (for him) he has calmed down by his age,
but I fear (for his fans) he has not changed.

His expectations and promises are (as always) high,
yet his results will be quite the opposite

[LuckyStrike1]

Originally posted by umma gumma
ha ha ha....!!

good to see you guys are still healthy & arguing about the same old things, I haven't been in here in ages.......glad things are going well......

We get very insecure to discuss new things, so it's much safer to talk about the good ol' things instead

[mtl'78]

I simply don't understand how somebody can be a fan of racing and at the same time fail to appreciate what Alesi brings.

Here is a guy who at age 37, is totally lost (by his own admission no less) in this new age of computer-controlled cars. Drivers today are alot more like air pilots than car drivers. They operate so many systems in the cockpit, the driving is almost secondary. So how the hell is a driver like Alesi about to compete in his 200th race? On driving talent alone! He's doing it on guts and skill. 32 podiums and 240 points (8 away from 20th all time) on skill and guts. Sure he isn't Schumacher or Senna but WTF? is every driver **** if he isn't Schumacher? How old are you all?

[RJL]

[LuckyStrike1]

Well as far as I'm concerned Alesi is the last real racinghero with a huge passion for the sport. I WANT him to do well .... and I'll leave it with that

[Chris G.]

Originally posted by mtl'78
Here is a guy who at age 37, is totally lost (by his own admission no less) in this new age of computer-controlled cars. Drivers today are alot more like air pilots than car drivers. They operate so many systems in the cockpit, the driving is almost secondary. So how the hell is a driver like Alesi about to compete in his 200th race? On driving talent alone! He's doing it on guts and skill. 32 podiums and 240 points (8 away from 20th all time) on skill and guts. Sure he isn't Schumacher or Senna but WTF? is every driver **** if he isn't Schumacher?

[coyoteBR]

Great words, Jean!
Rack'em up.

And, with a good remainhig of 2001 and 2002 season at jordan, you could even take Rubinho's seat at ferrari in 2003

(An Alesi fan never give up the dream )


now, with the novel over, I had to change my signature once more

[mhferrari]

Look out at Spa!!!
He ran good in a Prost last year, wait until this year.

[Nustang70]

Well he sure sounds fired up. I really hope he does still "have it."
And although I was devastated by EJ booting Frentzen, if I had to pick a replacement, no one would please me more than Alesi.

[LindaC]

Trulli doesn't use launch control, so Alesi won't have to. I think I heard that Jean has begun to use traction control now.

[MPea3]

i'd really like for alesi to do well in the jordan, even though EJ isn't exactly on the top of my list right now. i love alesi's passion, as i think it's something missing from the sport in this day and age. still, i've seen JA so many times now in new situations where this was going to be the time it worked., and unfortunately, i find it hard to find a reason it should be any different this time.

i don't think that the jordan is a podium car unless it's one of those rain/accident/attrition sort of races. the sad part is, that i think that without success, his stint at jordan may be the end for him in F1, and an ugly end at that. while that end is unavoidably near anyway, the whole fiasco of jordan/prost this season will not make the end of his career memorable. while i think most of his problems over his career have been of his own making, he's certainly done a lot for F1 and his fans over the years, and it's on the verge of becoming a sad spectacle. somehow i think he deserves better.

[MN]

Alesi family.
Kumiko says Jean picked up some Japanese sentenses by listening to Kumiko talking to their son.
But it is very funny when Jean speaks Japanese because he sounds like a woman.
(Japanese, women and men speak quite differently)

[Thank-U]

Goooooooooooooooo Alesi !!!!!!!

What I would not give to see Alesi on the 1st step of the podium comes Spa

MN,

About Japanese talk by Men / Women, you are absolutely right, and it can get quite funny:

Among the non Japanese community (mostly French in my case) living in Tokyo, we can immediately figure out which guy has a Japanese girlfriend by the way they talk Japanese.
We call this "pillow Japanese" as most often the guy learns this well, in bed with the head on the pillow ;)


Well this said,

Gooooooooooooooo Alesi, waiting for some fireworks.

Message to EJ:
Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase make sure Alesi gets a reliable car and your sponsors are going to get the coverage of their life

[Thank-U]

MN,

What's the picture that Alesi Junior is holding ???

I see that Jean has started the real education of Junior quite early ;)

I like French culture

[magic]

trulli will kill ja.

[philhitchings]

Alesi in a Jordan fireworks proffered excitment offered I just hope he doesnt suffer the reliability problems I think he might

see

http://www.atlasf1.c...&threadid=26526

for more details................

[Gemini]

I have weekend tickets for Gold grandstand at Hungaroring, and I am going to jump my ass off when Jean will be leaving the pits on Friday morning for the first time:cool:

[Linus27]

mtl'78

Usually american and Schuey fans.

[Todd]

Originally posted by mtl'78
I simply don't understand how somebody can be a fan of racing and at the same time fail to appreciate what Alesi brings.

I am going to assume that you are asking a sincere question, and therefore I will give you a sincere answer.

I don't like Alesi because Formula 1 is the top racing series in the world. It is the self-proclaimed World Drivers Championship. There are only 22 seats to go around these days. On top of that, there are only 2 to 8 seats in any given season that allow a worthy driver to take a shot at the title of World Driving Champion. Those seats should be filled by drivers that have what it takes to compete for the title. Alesi has denied better drivers their more deserving spot in the series, and he has denied me, as a racing fan, the excitement of having additional cars and drivers winning races. He pissed me off by wasting top-3 teams for 7 seasons. Whether it is his inability to develop, his inability to drive, or his incredibly weak constitution that causes this is not material. The squandering of Ferrari and Benetton-Renault denied us almost a decade of better quality racing. Thankfully, there is now a 2nd Schumacher in the third best car instead of " guy who at age 37, is totally lost."

Originally posted by mtl'78
32 podiums and 240 points (8 away from 20th all time) on skill and guts. Sure he isn't Schumacher or Senna but WTF? is every driver **** if he isn't Schumacher? How old are you all?

He may be 8 away from 20th in points, but he is also 6th in GPs tarted, and he spent 7 years driving for what should have been top teams. He makes David Coulthard look like Jim Clark. I am 31 years old and have followed F1 since Niki Lauda's crash in 1976.

[Singing in the rain]

From Todd:

"I don't like Alesi because Formula 1 is the top racing series in the world. It is the self-proclaimed World Drivers Championship. There are only 22 seats to go around these days."

I say it is for each and every year a tiny bit less "drivers championship" and a tiny bit more "Constructors sport".
Why this Button-mania, and all these abbreviations LC, TC?
These days the cars can only get out of control going into the corners, not out of them anymore.
A fast car will always interest good drivers though.

[mtl'78]

I guess there just isn't any room for anyone in your world unless they are Micheal Schumacher or his clone. How pathetic and bland.

[Linus27]

I don't like Alesi because Formula 1 is the top racing series in the world. It is the self-proclaimed World Drivers Championship. There are only 22 seats to go around these days. On top of that, there are only 2 to 8 seats in any given season that allow a worthy driver to take a shot at the title of World Driving Champion. Those seats should be filled by drivers that have what it takes to compete for the title. Alesi has denied better drivers their more deserving spot in the series, and he has denied me, as a racing fan, the excitement of having additional cars and drivers winning races. He pissed me off by wasting top-3 teams for 7 seasons. Whether it is his inability to develop, his inability to drive, or his incredibly weak constitution that causes this is not material. The squandering of Ferrari and Benetton-Renault denied us almost a decade of better quality racing. Thankfully, there is now a 2nd Schumacher in the third best car instead of " guy who at age 37, is totally lost."

Schuey pissed me off by wasting 4 good years in race winning Ferrari's and bloody failing wether it was his inability to develop, his inability to drive, or his incredibly weak constitution that causes this to not material. He can't even takes Jacques out properly and stalling on the grid at such a crucial time. Talk about pissing me off and ruining a great final show down at Suzuka. What a ****. Thankfully there is a new Finn on the block who will retire the old cheating German and rid us of the predictable Schuey must win, team mate must not pass Team Schumacher I talk lies and toe the company line charade that is boring the arse of us. Give me a real racing driver who don't need driver aids and who can pass other cars in a race and not in the pits or with help from his team mate.

[Todd]

Originally posted by mtl'78
I guess there just isn't any room for anyone in your world unless they are Micheal Schumacher or his clone. How pathetic and bland.

My world has many racing series in it. Jean Alesi would have my respect in many of them. Formula 1 should be about determining the best driver, from a field of competitors who are at their peak and have more strengths than weaknesses. It would be interesting to see how he would cut it in a series like Winston Cup, where the 36 fastest drivers start any race, or in CART, where all the drivers are basket cases.

[mtl'78]

That's really funny. So what you are saying is: "I simply don't understand what F1 is all about."

Formula one is about determining the best driver eh? Wow, that's a profoundly wrong statement. Formula one is about determining the best C A R S my friend. Even your beloved Schumacher needs an outstanding car to win his WDCs.

Seriously though, stop talking so much ****.

[Todd]

Originally posted by mtl'78
That's really funny. So what you are saying is: "I simply don't understand what F1 is all about."

Formula one is about determining the best driver eh? Wow, that's a profoundly wrong statement. Formula one is about determining the best C A R S my friend. Even your beloved Schumacher needs an outstanding car to win his WDCs.

Seriously though, stop talking so much ****.

Well, those cars need a better driver than Alesi in order to win their races and titles.;)

[Nikolas Garth]

Originally posted by Linus27


Schuey pissed me off by wasting 4 good years in race winning Ferrari's and bloody failing wether it was his inability to develop, his inability to drive, or his incredibly weak constitution that causes this to not material. He can't even takes Jacques out properly and stalling on the grid at such a crucial time. Talk about pissing me off and ruining a great final show down at Suzuka. What a ****. Thankfully there is a new Finn on the block who will retire the old cheating German and rid us of the predictable Schuey must win, team mate must not pass Team Schumacher I talk lies and toe the company line charade that is boring the arse of us. Give me a real racing driver who don't need driver aids and who can pass other cars in a race and not in the pits or with help from his team mate.

Linus,
You have a major problem with trying to throw Todd's words back in his face, in that his comments about Alesi, largely ring true(not saying I totally agree with it), whereas your comments come across as quite hollow, and too smart by half.

[Linus27]

Nik

I am having a laugh. Don't take everything I say so seriously.

[Cheever]

mtl'78
I couldn't said it any better myself

[Todd]

Originally posted by Cheever
mtl'78
I couldn't said it any better myself

You would seem to be correct about that.

[RJL]

Originally posted by Todd


I don't like Alesi because Formula 1 is the top racing series in the world. It is the self-proclaimed World Drivers Championship. There are only 22 seats to go around these days. On top of that, there are only 2 to 8 seats in any given season that allow a worthy driver to take a shot at the title of World Driving Champion. Those seats should be filled by drivers that have what it takes to compete for the title. Alesi has denied better drivers their more deserving spot in the series, and he has denied me, as a racing fan, the excitement of having additional cars and drivers winning races. He pissed me off by wasting top-3 teams for 7 seasons. Whether it is his inability to develop, his inability to drive, or his incredibly weak constitution that causes this is not material. The squandering of Ferrari and Benetton-Renault denied us almost a decade of better quality racing. Thankfully, there is now a 2nd Schumacher in the third best car instead of " guy who at age 37, is totally lost."



He may be 8 away from 20th in points, but he is also 6th in GPs tarted, and he spent 7 years driving for what should have been top teams. He makes David Coulthard look like Jim Clark. I am 31 years old and have followed F1 since Niki Lauda's crash in 1976.

What a load of rubbish. Alesi has survived over a dozen years in F1 for one reason only: HE GETS THE JOB DONE. It really is that simple, in F1 if you are not doing the job you are on your way out. Alesi has been paid millions of dollars by F1 teams over the years because he was the best available option for them at the time. He is not a "pay driver" who usurps a seat because he has money.

Where are all these more deserving drivers? Rossett? Zonta? Give me a break! The reason JA is still with us in F1 is because for a dozen years now he has consistently beaten or atleast equalled his teammates. When he no longer can do the job he will be out in short order. It really is that simple, look at others before him like Hill, or even Mansell. Both these guys achieved way more than JA, but when their time came they were gone pretty damn quick.

As for the Ferrari years, we've been over this so many times that it gets tiresome but one more time for you Todd: the cars suffered abysmal reliabilty to the tune of nearly 40%. I doubt MS would be winning a lot of championships if his Ferraris were that frail. Also the cars were genuinly slow for a couple of years. Jean scored a ton of points in those third & fourth rate cars and was denied several victories by mechanical failures. He drove well at Benetton, we all know that he is not Michael Schumacher but hey 3rd & 4th in the WDC is not as bad as YOU make it sound. It was very representative of the competitiveness of the car. Benetton has continued it's ignomious slide into oblivion to this day. That has very little to do with Alesi.

BTW Todd, I'm happy for you that you've been watching F1 since 1976, but you'll excuse me if I don't put alot of value on any opinions you might have formed when you were SIX years old.

Hey what have you got against Coulthard anyway. I'm sure most people would put him in their top ten at the moment.

[Cheever]

Originally posted by RJL


What a load of rubbish.

Yepp you really know rubbish, I can tell...

[Cheever]

Originally posted by Todd


You would seem to be correct about that.

As for that, I rest my suitcase