"Wollte ihn gleich in der ersten Runde schocken!" - Interview mit Gerhard Berger & Jean Alesi 2024

Jean Alesi and Gerhard Berger were among the top drivers of their generation in the 1980s and 90s. Each competed in over 200 Grand Prix races. For five years and 77 races, they even drove for the same team: from 1993 to 1995 at Ferrari, and then again in 1996 and 1997 at Benetton. Despite their rivalry, these two very different personalities always got along well. We brought them together for the first time for a joint interview. In the first part of the conversation, they reveal their secret to why, in a time of team wars and intense rivalries, they never clashed and have remained friends to this day. They talk about their entry into Formula 1, their team bosses, and their experiences driving alongside superstars Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. They also recall the moment their stars rose. Alesi in Phoenix in 1990, Berger in Imola in 1986. And they reveal how they found their way to Ferrari. Both Alesi and Berger had other options, but Ferrari's allure was simply too strong. Gerhard Berger was the last driver to negotiate personally with Enzo Ferrari. The conversation, however, was rather one-sided. Gerhard Berger and Jean Alesi retained their fans even after their racing careers ended. In the second part of our interview, the two talk about their time together at Ferrari from 1993 to 1995. About their great duels on the track, the dangerous misunderstanding in Monza in 1993, and the near-disaster with the loose TV camera two years later. Then things get amusing. Outside the cockpit, they also played the occasional prank on each other that would be unthinkable today. Alesi and Berger convincingly describe how, back then, a kind of release valve was needed to relieve pressure—pressure that also arose from the increased risk. In 1996, Michael Schumacher joined Ferrari. For Alesi and Berger, this was the signal to leave Ferrari. They discuss their personal reasons and how they suddenly found themselves at Benetton. After two more years as teammates, Gerhard Berger retired. Jean Alesi continued racing until 2001, adding DTM races, Le Mans, and Indianapolis to his Grand Prix career. The now 59-year-old Frenchman admits: "The DTM was the best time of my racing career." --------------------------------------------------- Subscribe to the channel and activate notifications to stay up to date. ``` Our social media channels: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@automotorunds... Instagram:   / automotorundsport.formel1   Facebook:   / automotorundsport   Twitter:   / amsonline   Our Formula 1 content is also available on your audio: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0DBgJai... Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast... RSS - https://formel-schmidt.podigee.io/fee... You can also find more news here: Website: https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/f... On TV: auto motor und sport channel