Formula 1 fans have waited patiently over the winter break for racing to start once again and while the Australian Grand Prix is still a few weeks away, they can begin to get excited on Tuesday evening.
That’s because, for the first time in the sport’s history, a livery launch event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Formula 1 is being hosted at The O2 in London, with all 20 drivers set to attend the ceremony.
It’s set to be an opportunity to not only see every new livery for the first time ahead of F1 pre-season testing beginning in Bahrain but also to celebrate the drivers who have made the sport what it is today.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown was spotted with four legendary F1 drivers in the build-up to the event, suggesting that Liberty Media want as many big names as possible at the ceremony.
Each team is given a small time slot to showcase their new liveries, although whether they bring their 2025 cars is yet to be seen.
Ferrari aren’t particularly happy with having to travel to London given that their launch event is happening in Maranello the following day.
But it does appear to be the perfect opportunity to honour many retired drivers who made a telling contribution to Formula 1 over the years.
Jean Alesi receives Formula 1 ‘Legends’ award ahead of F1 75 event
One of the drivers who has been honoured by Formula 1 ahead of the F1 75 ceremony is Frenchman Jean Alesi.
Alesi posted a picture of him holding a small silver globe on top of a stand that reads, ‘Legends Award, F1 75, 17 February 2025’.
Alongside the photo, Alesi said: “My all Life I Dream F1 … thank you so much for this 75 F1 anniversaries and this trophy for my 201 GP of real passion.”
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It will be fascinating to see who has been recognised alongside Alesi heading into this evening’s formalities.
Although the criteria for what makes a driver a ‘legend’ in the eyes of Formula 1 hasn’t been disclosed, it’s likely to be a combination of longevity and success if Alesi has been acknowledged.
Why has Jean Alesi been honoured by Formula 1 ahead of the F1 75 event?
Alesi is widely regarded as one of the most impressive talents to race in Formula 1 who never achieved his full potential.
He made his debut in 1989 with Tyrrell, alongside his International Formula 3000 campaign which he won racing for Eddie Jordan.
After his first full season in the sport in 1990, Alesi was signed by Ferrari and showed glimpses of his true potential during his five years with the team.
However, while he would finish on the podium a few times every year, he had to wait until 1995 to win his first – and what turned out to be his only – Grand Prix.
Alesi stood on the top step of the podium at the 1995 Canadian Grand Prix, joined by his old boss Jordan’s two drivers Rubens Barrichello and Eddie Irvine on the podium.
READ MORE: Jean Alesi says Michael Schumacher didn’t want him to retire when he left Formula 1
He had dealt with heartbreak before and missed out on several victories due to factors outside of his control, and his Ferrari broke down on the slowdown lap after reaching the chequered flag.
“Every time I braked, my tears were hitting my visor,” Alesi later said about the race.
“For about a lap I felt a bit disorientated, but then I said to myself: ‘now you have to get back to driving…’”
“Winning with Ferrari is special, something you cannot get with any other team,” Alesi later said in his press conference, and while it was the only victory of his 201-race career, it’s one that he and Ferrari fans will always remember fondly.
The Frenchman left Ferrari at the end of that season, racing for Benetton, Sauber, Prost and finally Jordan before retiring at the conclusion of the 2001 campaign.
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