Alesi ‘emotional’ over son’s Ferrari test, clarifies Academy exit
Ferrari Formula 1 hero Jean Alesi has described his emotions as he watched son Giuliano get his first taste of an F1 car at the Fiorano test track on Monday morning.


Alesi Snr first tested a Ferrari 641 in November 1990, before an action-packed, five-year F1 career with the Scuderia. Son Giuliano, who has been racing in FIA Formula 2 for the past two seasons, got his first F1 run in a 2018-spec SF71H – sporting the same number 28 that his dad used in his inaugural season at Ferrari in 1991.
“It came as a surprise to me, I cannot believe he looked into the details like that,” said Alesi of his son’s decision to run with the number 28 on the car. “I believe I first tested in November 1990, the 15th my fan club tells me, so it is amazing to think that he drove the car with my number 30 years later.
“It was great to see him in a Ferrari – a lot of emotions for me! – but also a feeling of responsibility of not making a mistake as he was the first one to go out and everything was very cold, and others were to drive the car.
“It was not easy for him, but everything went fantastically well, and I felt good for him.”
Read Also:
Alesi clarified that although Giuliano has officially left the Ferrari Driver Academy, which he joined in 2016 and won four races in GP3, that it’s not necessarily the end of his story with the Italian marque.
“It’s the end for him with the Academy, yes, but not with Ferrari – it is still our family,” he said. “That has been very clear from Ferrari.”

Photo by: Ferrari

Photo by: Federico Basile / Motorsport Images

Photo by: Federico Basile / Motorsport Images

Photo by: Ferrari

Photo by: Federico Basile / Motorsport Images

Photo by: Federico Basile / Motorsport Images

Photo by: Ferrari

Photo by: Federico Basile / Motorsport Images

Photo by: Federico Basile / Motorsport Images

Photo by: Ferrari
After two difficult seasons in FIA Formula 2, Giuliano will leave Europe to race in Japan this year, where his father believes there’s a more level playing field for drivers to show their talent and progress on merit.
“If you look in our part of the world in Europe, nothing is a meritocracy,” said Alesi Snr. “You just need to pay and pay and pay.
“I think that’s crazy, it’s the only sport in the world where you have to pay to make your show. I think in Japan it seems much more fair.”
Related video

AlphaTauri disappointed not to beat Ferrari in 2020
Sainz makes maiden Ferrari appearance in Fiorano test

Latest news
The inevitable consequence of the Liberty F1 popularity boom
Sell out crowds at Formula 1 races are the norm rather than the exception these days, as grand prix racing is enjoying a massive boom under Liberty Media. But the Spanish Grand Prix highlighted numerous issues some circuits may face as demand for F1 soars
The danger for Red Bull in its Barcelona F1 team orders choice
OPINION: Red Bull walked into a team orders saga on its way to taking a Spanish Grand Prix 1-2 last weekend, where it took the lead of the 2022 Formula 1 world championships for the first time. But its decisions have added an element of risk to later races.
Why Mercedes' Spanish GP gains aren't as grand as they seemed
Mercedes' strong showing in last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix prompted team boss Toto Wolff to say it had halved its deficit to the leaders and its Formula 1 title chances were back on after a rocky start to the 2022 campaign. But a closer inspection of the team's performance suggests its gains aren't as grand as they first appeared
What's next for the Green Red Bull controversy?
From the 'pink Mercedes' to the 'Green Red Bull', the Silverstone-based team has received suspicious glares from up and down the Formula 1 paddock over its car design exploits. But after being cleared by the FIA over its Spanish Grand Prix updates amid a backdrop of cries of foul play, what's next in this saga?
Spanish Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
In an unusually hectic Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was denied a dominant performance by his Ferrari engine letting go which allowed Max Verstappen to pick up the pieces. But numerous flashpoints kept the race twisting and turning throughout, with one perfect score from an emerging contender
How Verstappen overcame his and Red Bull’s errors to win in Spain
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari engine disaster offered an open goal for Max Verstappen and Red Bull to strike, but the reigning Formula 1 world champion still had to solve multiple errors and profit from a begrudged assist from team-mate Sergio Perez, which created an unexpectedly eventful Spanish Grand Prix
Why Red Bull can win a Spanish GP that looked perfect for Ferrari
Formula 1's return to Spain on Friday ended with Ferrari leading the way from Mercedes, while Red Bull could only manage third fastest overall courtesy of Max Verstappen. But its chances of victory are far from remote with a deeper dig into the times despite Ferrari's strong start...
The key aspects of Porsche and Audi's planned F1 entries
The VW Group’s German superpowers of sportscar racing have all but confirmed they are coming to F1 when the next set of engine rules come into force in 2026. Here's why both manufacturers are all set to take the plunge, and crucially how it might work