Jean Alesi has been detained since Monday by the Avignon police. Last Sunday, around 10:00 p.m., according to the French press, the 57-year-old former pilot spent what he himself described as a “prank”.
Apparently, the Frenchman placed and detonated a large firecracker in the window of his brother-in-law’s architecture studio in the town of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon .
The blast shattered the burglar-proof glass, damaging the frame and shutters, alarming the entire neighborhood.
Alesi was not alone, but went with his son and a friend. To try not to leave any trace, he borrowed a BMW from his brother José’s workshop. The car was recognized as it was driving with its lights off, three people on board and then parked in front of the building.
Witness reports quickly brought the whole thing to light, and the former Ferrari driver – who appeared at the police station on Monday afternoon – admitted his guilt, but exonerated both his brother and others involved in the incident.
The 57-year-old former pilot was arrested around 4:00 p.m. on Monday for damaging someone else’s property with an explosive device,” Nîmes deputy prosecutor Antoine Wolf told AFP . “According to him, it was bought in Italy, but with the intention to play a practical joke and not to intimidate, stating that he did not imagine that he would cause so much damage”
Alesi’s brother-in-law is in the process of separating from his wife, Jean’s sister, but filed a complaint for the damage caused.
“I’m pretty skeptical that at 10pm someone would want to make a prank like that, without the person it’s directed at knowing who did it. Everyone will be heard to make sure there’s no other reason.” Wolf concluded.
Alesi disputed 13 seasons in Formula 1 with Tyrrell, Benetton, Sauber, Prost, Jordan and Ferrari with whom he achieved his only victory at the 1995 Canadian Grand Prix. He climbed to the podium 32 times, achieved two pole positions and set four fastest laps. He is currently a commentator for Canal+ France.
Photos: all the drivers who have won with Ferrari in F1
Michael Schumacher (72 wins)
1 / 39
Spanish GP 1996 Belgian GP 1996 Italian GP 1996 Monaco GP 1997 Canadian GP 1997 French GP 1997 Belgian GP 1997 Japanese GP 1997 Argentine GP 1998 Canadian GP 1998 French GP 1998 British GP 1998 GP Hungarian 1998 Italian GP 1998 Australian GP 1999 San Marino GP 1999 Monaco GP 1999 Austrian GP 1999 German GP 1999 Malaysian GP 1999 Australian GP 2000 Brazilian GP 2000 San Marino GP 2000 European GP 2000 GP Canada 2000 German GP 2000 Italian GP 2000 United States GP 2000 Japanese GP 2000 Malaysian GP 2000 Australian GP 2001 Malaysian GP 2001 Spanish GP 2001 Monaco GP 2001 European GP 2001 French GP 2001 Hungary 2001 Belgian GP 2001 Japanese GP 2001 Australian GP 2002 Brazilian GP 2002 San Marino GP 2002 Spanish GP 2002 Austrian GP 2002 Canadian GP 2002 European GP 2002 British GP 2002 French GP 2002 French GP Germany 2002 Hungarian GP 2002 Belgian GP 2002 Italian GP 2002 United States GP 2002 Japanese GP 2002 San Marino GP 2003 Spanish GP 2003 Austrian GP 2003 Canadian GP 2003 Italian GP 2003 United States GP 2003 Australian GP 2004 Malaysian GP 2004 Bahrain GP 2004 San Marino 2004 Spanish GP 2004 European GP 2004 Canadian GP 2004 United States GP 2004 French GP 2004 British GP 2004 German GP 2004 Hungarian GP 2004 Japanese GP 2004 United States GP 2005 San Marino GP 2006 2006 European GP 2006 United States GP 2006 European GP 2006 French GP 2006 German GP 2006 French GP 2004 British GP 2004 Italian GP 2006 Chinese GP 2006 World Champion in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004
Photo by: Ferrari Media Center
Nikki Lauda* (15 wins)
2 / 39
Spanish GP 1974 Netherlands GP 1974 Monaco GP 1975 Belgian GP 1975 Swedish GP 1975 French GP 1975 United States GP 1975 Brazilian GP 1976 South African GP 1976 Monaco GP 1976 Belgian GP 1976 British GP 1976 South African GP 1977 German GP 1977 Dutch GP 1977 World Champion in 1975 and 1977 *On the left, James Hunt; to the right, Jochen Mass; in the center, Niki Lauda
Photo by: LAT Images
Sebastian Vettel (14 wins)
3 / 39
Malaysian GP 2015
Hungarian GP 2015
Singapore GP 2015
Australian GP 2017
Bahrain GP 2017
Monaco GP 2017
Hungarian GP 2017
Brazilian GP 2017
Australian GP 2018
Bahrain GP 2018
Canadian GP 2018
British GP 2018
Belgian GP 2018
Singapore GP 2019
Photo By: Sutton Motorsport Images
Alberto Ascari* (13 wins)
4 / 39
German GP 1951 Italian GP 1951 Belgian GP 1952 French GP 1952 British GP 1952 German GP 1952 Netherlands GP 1952 Italian GP 1952 Argentine GP 1953 Netherlands GP 1953 Belgian GP 1953 Great Britain GP Brittany 1953 Swiss GP 1953 World Champion in 1952 and 1953 *On the left, Piero Taruffi (also winner with Ferrari); on the right, Alberto Ascari
Photo by: LAT Images
Fernando Alonso (11 wins)
5 / 39
Bahrain GP 2010 German GP 2010 Italian GP 2010 Singapore GP 2010 Korean GP 2010 British GP 2011 Malaysian GP 2012 European GP 2012 German GP 2012 Chinese GP 2013 Spanish GP 2013
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Felipe Massa (11 wins)
6 / 39
Turkish GP 2006 Brazilian GP 2006 Bahrain GP 2007 Spanish GP 2007 Turkish GP 2007 Bahrain GP 2008 Turkish GP 2008 French GP 2007 European GP 2008 Belgian GP 2008 Brazilian GP 2008
Photo By: Sutton Motorsport Images
Kimi Raikkonen (10 wins)
7 / 39
2007 Australian GP 2007 French GP 2007 British GP 2007 Belgian GP 2007 Chinese GP 2007 Brazilian GP 2007 Malaysian GP 2007 Malaysian GP 2008 Spanish GP 2008 Belgian GP 2009 United States GP 2018 World Champion in 2007
Photo by: Andrew Ferraro/Motorsport Images
Rubens Barrichello (9 wins)
8 / 39
German GP 2000 European GP 2002 Hungarian GP 2002 Italian GP 2002 United States GP 2002 British GP 2003 Japanese GP 2003 Italian GP 2004 Chinese GP 2004
Photo by: Bridgestone Corporation
Jacky Ickx (6 wins)
9 / 39
French GP 1968
Austrian GP 1970
Canadian GP 1970
1970 Mexican GP
Netherlands GP 1971
German GP 1972
Photo by: LAT Images
Gilles Villeneuve* (6 wins)
10 / 39
South African GP 1979
US GP West 1979
US GP East 1979
Monaco GP 1981
Spanish GP 1981
Canadian GP 1978
*From left to right, Alan Jones, Gilles Villeneuve and Jody Scheckter.
Photo by: LAT Images
Carlos Reutemann* (5 wins)
11 / 39
Brazilian GP 1977
Brazilian GP 1978
US GP West 1978
British GP 1978
US GP East 1978
*From left to right, Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Carlos Reutemann and Niki Lauda.
Photo by: LAT Images
Gerhard Berger* (5 wins)
12 / 39
Japanese GP 1987 Australian GP 1987 Italian GP 1987 Portuguese GP 1989 German GP 1994 *On the left, Ayrton Senna; to the right, Stefan Johansson; in the center, Gerhard Berger
Photo by: LAT Images
Alain Prost* (5 wins)
13 / 39
1990 Brazilian GP 1990 Mexican GP 1990 French GP 1990 Spanish GP 1990 British GP *On the left, Ivan Capelli; on the right, Alain Prost
Photo by: LAT Images
John Surtees* (4 wins)
14 / 39
German GP 1963 German GP 1964 Italian GP 1964 Belgian GP 1966 World Champion in 1964 *From left to right: John Surtees with Ferrari boss Enzo Ferrari
Photo by: LAT Images
Clay Regazzoni (4 wins)
15 / 39
Italian GP 1970 German GP 1974 Italian GP 1975 US GP East 1976
Photo by: LAT Images
Eddie Irvine (4 wins)
16 / 39
Australian GP 199 Austrian GP 1999 German GP 1999 Malaysian GP 1999
Photo by: LAT Images
Juan Manuel Fangio (3 wins)
17 / 39
1956 Argentine GP (together with Luigi Musso) 1956 Great Britain GP 1956 German GP World Champion in 1956
Photo by: LAT Images
Mike Hawthorn (3 wins)
18 / 39
French GP 1953 Spanish GP 1954 French GP 1958 World Champion in 1958
Photo by: LAT Images
Phil Hill* (3 wins)
19 / 39
Italian GP 1960 Belgian GP 1961 Italian GP 1961 World Champion in 1961 * From left to right, Phill Hill with Richie Ginther
Photo by: LAT Images
Peter Collins* (3 wins)
20 / 39
Belgian GP 1956
French GP 1956
British GP 1958
*On the right, Mike Hawthorn, also a winner with Ferrari
Photo by: LAT Images
Jody Scheckter (3 wins)
21 / 39
Belgian GP 1979 Monaco GP 1979 Italian GP 1979 World Champion in 1979
Photo by: LAT Images
Rene Arnoux* (3 wins)
22/
GP of Canada 1983 GP of Germany 1983 GP of the Netherlands 1983 *From left to right, Riccardo Patrese, Rene Arnoux and Andrea de Cesaris.
Photo by: LAT Images
Michele Alboreto* (3 wins)
23 / 39
Belgian GP 1984 Canadian GP 1985 German GP 1985 *From left to right, Stefan Johansson, Michele Alboreto and Alain Prost.
Photo by: LAT Images
Nigel Mansell (3 wins)
24 / 39
Brazilian GP 1989 Hungarian GP 1989 Portuguese GP 1990
Photo by: LAT Images
Jose Froilan Gonzalez (2 wins)
25/
1951 British GP 1954 British GP
Photo by: LAT Images
Tony Brooks (2 wins)
26 / 39
German GP 1959
French GP 1959
Photo by: LAT Images
Wolfgang von Trips* (2 wins)
27 / 39
1961 Dutch GP 1961 British GP *From left to right, Wolfgang von Trips and Stirling Moss.
