The moments that made Giuliano Alesi

Giuliano Alesi is the type of driver who tries to learn from every single race, good or bad. Every single time he sets foot in the car is another opportunity to gain experience and it is all of these moments combined that have gotten him to where he is today. But, which three have played the most important role in his journey up the ladder?

We sat down with the Ferrari junior to discuss the moments that made him.

1. SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS 2019

“One of the most important things that has happened in my career, that changed me, is definitely the incident last year in Spa, when we tragically lost Anthoine Hubert. The consequences of what happened remain extremely painful, but in a way, to all of us and to all of motorsport, it has reminded us that the risk and the danger is still there.

“It has helped me to grow and to gain an even greater respect for my opponents and for other people who are racing for the love of the sport, while accepting everything that comes with it. It has left a big mark on me, certainly. It is something that happened and something that I will have to live with for the rest of my life. I have managed to make peace with it, which really wasn't easy.

“It was harder than I thought to return to Spa earlier this season. When I went to drop the flowers, I felt something quite strong and it was much more difficult than I expected. Spa was always a track that I loved, but it will never be the same for me because of what happened. Eau Rouge, the most beautiful corner in the world, is now to me, the worst corner in the world because it reminds me of tragedy. Unfortunately, we cannot change what happened.

“It is not just about moving on, it is about accepting what happened and being able to live with it. That is not easy for many different reasons, for any of us, but it has definitely changed me more than anything else has before. It changed my vision of motorsport, of the world, of my opponents, of myself and of my family. It is still very sensitive."

2. THE GOOD MOMENTS

“The ups of my career: my race wins and my small moments of glory. Those moments show you how it feels to be at the top, which teaches you a lot. How to win, how to accept certain things, and how to really enjoy the fruits of your labour.

“2018, when I won under the rain in GP3 stands out as one of those moments. I had Anthoine behind me during the race and he was able to get second place straight away and I remember seeing him in my mirrors and realising that it was going to be tough, because he was on it. I knew that he was one of the toughest opponents out there.

“I had to learn the track as well and learn what to do, while not taking too many precautions, because Anthoine was right behind me and he was on the attack. There were several Safety Cars and several moments where it was sketchy for me, which made it harder. Crossing that line was such a relief, it felt good and that helped me a lot.”

3. THE BAD MOMENTS

“Saying that, tough moments too. Starting last season and during this season as well, it is not just one event but a few events. That has taught me a huge amount as well, because it teaches you how to deal with certain situations, it teaches you who is in your corner and who is not in your corner and it has shown me how to approach things.

“The tough times have helped me to grow up just as much as the positive times, when I was winning. I am taking every experience, good or bad, as something to learn from because I know that it will help me in the future. It is tough to accept of course, but it makes you grow, and this is extremely important at my age.

”I have taken a lot of responsibility, both in the good and the bad times, which I think is a sign of growing. You have to accept both.”