Alain Prost and Jean Alesi have both insisted that they parted as friends, but Prost has now blasted his former driver as childish. It’s unlikely Alesi will be getting a Christmas card this year.
Alain Prost is annoyed that Alesi has had so much to say in the press about leaving his team and has blasted the French-Sicilian as childish.
Alesi left Prost last week to join Jordan, while the sacked Heinz-Harald Frentzen has linked up with Prost.
Alesi said at the time of the switch that he had been keen to leave since the British Grand Prix. “It’s fantastic news, which I wouldn’t have dared to hope for even two months ago. Things really didn’t go the way I’d expected at Prost. On the Monday after the British Grand Prix I received a letter from Alain’s solicitor, which really upset me. After that, all I wanted was to leave,” he said.
Prost told French newspaper L’Equipe that they had agreed not to discuss the details of the switch in the media. “It was agreed that no one would give his version of what happened. Then, 10 minutes later, he was telling everything on a radio station. This is an infantile attitude.”
Ironically, the apparent demise of the friendship coincides with a piece of history. Ten years ago, Prost and Alesi were team-mates at Ferrari, but it was Prost who left that partnership when he was fired during the latter half of the season … and Alesi who stayed on.
Alesi, meanwhile, has announced that he will also be driving for Jordan in 2002. “Eddie called me to ask if I was available until the end of the season,” he said. “In fact, I signed for 2002, as well. I am therefore racing for Jordan for the last grands prix of 2001, but I will also race for him in 2002,” he continued.
Alesi’s manager, however, said his client was still in negotiations about a seat for next season and nothing had been signed yet.
The team had said last week that they wanted to see how things developed this year before making any decisions about 2002.