LIGHTS TO FLAG: Jean Alesi on his epic battles with Senna, winning for Ferrari and switching from racing to wine making

Jean Alesi arguably deserved many more wins than the single Grand Prix triumph he ultimately achieved, with misfortune often getting in the way of glory. But the Frenchman still went down as an F1 icon and, with 201 starts made at some of the sport’s most famous teams, he has plenty of stories to tell. On his 60th birthday, Alesi shares some of them for our latest Lights to Flag feature…

Joining the family business

Alesi was born in Avignon in the summer of 1964 to Sicilian parents, with his father Franco providing a first look at both the automotive and motorsport worlds via the bodywork repair garage he ran and some weekend hillclimb and rallying exploits.