Friday Fives: Interview with Jean Alesi

When former Formula 1 driver, Jean Alesi dropped by the XLR8 weekend, we fought our way to the fore front to welcome him and even caught some time for a quick chat. We thought we would put together a quick teaser on what happened during the interview.

CAR: We’ve been to Champ Elysees and we’ve witnessed ourselves the chaos that happened around the Arc de Triomphe. We wonder, is there a secret to driving around the Arc?

Jean Alesi: You know, it is more difficult to drive around the Arc de Triomphe than the Grand Prix of Monaco, because the cars are coming from everywhere, you need to know the rules and you need to have one eye like that (looking left) and one eye like that (looking right), but otherwise it’s very nice.

C: What is that one car that you’ve always wanted to own but you’ve yet to get your hands on?

JA: I especially like vintage cars and that one car that I dream to have but I still don’t have it yet, maybe I will if I ever have an opportunity to get it, is the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. The Gullwing, I love this car.

C: What is your current daily drive?

JA: Mercedes CLS 63 but Shooting Brake, because with a family I need space in the car to fit everybody!

C: Formula 3000, Formula 1, DTM, Le Mans and IndyCar. Which race series would you go back kicking and screaming?

JA: For sure Formula 1, it is something very special. Three years ago, I did Indianapolis and that was very exciting because there was about 400,000 people who came to watch and it is unique in the world around this track that makes it a very special feeling but Formula 1 is Formula 1.

C: If you are allowed to put together your dream Formula 1 team, who would you choose as your team boss, technical director, driver 1 and driver 2. You can choose yourself as well.

JA: That is very difficult, as I’m still working in Formula 1. But right now, with this new generation of drivers for sure, my team boss would be Jean Todt, my first driver would be Lewis Hamilton, my second driver would be Fernando Alonso, the team would be Ferrari. Technical Director, I would pick Adrian Newey.

Catch the December issue of CAR Malaysia to read the full interview!

Jerrica Leong