What might have been - Alesi to Williams, not Ferrari

Anthony_Ferrari · Jun 9, 2008

Just read this http://217.199.164.22/pdf/2008/Montreal/RB_Sun_215Canada_08LR.pdf
I think it's an interesting piece. At the end of 1990 Jean Alesi was hot property with both Williams and Ferrari competing for his signature. Alesi eventually followed his heart to Maranello, where a bad era for Ferrari led to just a single victory. But what if he'd gone the other way?

The announcement that Nigel Mansell would be his 1991 team-mate obviously came as something of a surprise to Jean Alesi, though the French-Sicilian, finishing his first full season in F1 with Tyrrell, denied rumours that he had changed his mind and would instead take the seat vacated by Mansell at Ferrari. The choice of partnering Alain Prost at Ferrari or Mansell at Williams didnt make much of a difference, he claimed hed signed for Williams, end of story.

A mixed season followed for Alesi and Mansell in 1991. The recruitment of Leyton House technical director Adrian Newey added an
extra element to the Williams design team, though the FW14 he produced was possibly too complicated for its own good the class of the field when it worked, but all too often retiring in ruin. It was, however, a breakthrough season for Alesi, who frequently
out-qualified Mansell, and added a couple of victories to his still growing reputation. A stunning drive in the rain-shortened, season ending Australian Grand Prix underlined an almost supernatural level of car control in the wet. Given the disharmony going on at Ferrari, hed made the right decision.
Williams and Renault spent much of the off-season ironing the bugs out of the FW14, and in 1992 the B-specification raced without
peer. Alesi comprehensively out-qualified Mansell, but the Englishman had the luck, the racecraft and the experience to take the title, though Frank Williams and Patrick Head knew the future didnt lie with a temperamental 39-year-old. With Alesi ready to take on the role of team leader, they didnt try very hard to keep Mansell for 1993. As expected, in a typical display of indignation, the Englishman headed to the USA, leaving Alesi as the heir apparent.

These were Alesis champagne moments and he easily claimed his first world title. Williams had rewarded Damon Hill for his efforts as a test driver with a contract for 1993. The pairing was an instant success on the rare occasions Alesi had a failure, Hill was there to pick up the pieces, but failure didnt visit too often. In 1994, 1995 and 1996 things were much the same. The growing confidence of the Benetton outfit stopped Williams having it all their own way, but even with rising star Michael Schumacher behind the wheel, Alesi was too good. Schumachers exasperation with Benettons inability to give him a better car than Alesis led him to seek his fortune elsewhere with McLaren at the end of 1996.

Schumacher made his decision a month too soon. Who knows what would have happened if hed known Alesi was leaving Williams? To the outside world, Alesis decision was absurd voluntarily leaving the team that made him the undisputed superstar of the sport for one without a championship of any sort for 14 seasons. To Alesi, the decision was simple: with Williams, there were no more worlds to conquer, but the opportunity to revive the greatest name in motorsport was too good to pass up. His decision was made easier by the small fortune that Ferraris Jean Todt was prepared to pay him. In 1993, Todt had not fully appreciated the
scale of the challenge at Ferrari, but by 1995 he knew sweeping changes had to be made. Alesi was the key as the champion driver who knew how to win and how to motivate others around him. Together with Ferraris new technical backroom of Newey, Egbahl Hamidy and Geoff Willis, Alesi was fully invested in the project but it would take a while to come to fruition. The superiority of the Williams continued unabated as Hill cast off his understudy tag to make 1997 his year. But the Williams-Renault relationship was falling apart, exacerbated by the engine suppliers decision to withdraw from competition. The stage was set for Ferraris renaissance, but McLaren-Mercedes hadnt read the script, and in 1998 Michael Schumacher finally got the championship he so richly deserved.

Alesi refused to be flustered: Ferraris return to form was a case of when, not if, and he was determined to be their champion. It happened in 1999 Alesis six wins in the F399 were enough to take the title in the final race at Suzuka. And so he retired. While never beating Prosts record of 44 F1 victories, with five world championships to Prosts three, Alesi is today regarded as the greatest ever French driver.
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DeSoto · Jun 9, 2008

I could write another version:

"In 1994, Alesi died when leading the San Marino GP".

Gilles27 · Jun 9, 2008

An interesting scenario to ponder. Who knows if Alesi would have realized the same success as Mansell, Hill and Villeneuve had he joined Williams. He was more of an emotional driver than a cerebral one. I'm not so sure he would have fit in too well at the team, given Frank Williams doesn't coddle emotional drivers. It does make you wonder how many of those stories and "almosts" are out there, given the annual rumors of silly season.

Remy Zero · Jun 9, 2008

Alesi'a 6 wins in a F399?

Ferranki · Jun 9, 2008

Anthony_Ferrari said: ↑

Alesi eventually followed his heart to Maranello, where a bad era for Ferrari led to just a single victory.
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albeit a very emotional and memorable one

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What might have been - Alesi to Williams, not Ferrari

Anthony_Ferrari Formula 3

DeSoto F1 Veteran

Gilles27 F1 World Champ

Remy Zero Two Time F1 World Champ

Ferranki Formula Junior

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