Jean Alesi expresses concern about Ferrari's future.
"We had the worst Grand Prix that I can recall in Qatar."
Jean Alesi expressed that Ferrari's performance in Qatar was so subpar that it left him feeling "worried" about the team's future direction—while Lewis Hamilton referred to the race as one of the worst he has ever participated in. Ferrari's decline in performance towards the end of the 2025 season, along with Hamilton’s ongoing challenges since joining the team, has heightened scrutiny ahead of the upcoming rule changes next year.
Alesi, who achieved his only Grand Prix victory driving a Ferrari, didn't conceal his frustration during an interview with Corriere della Sera. "We had the worst Grand Prix in my memory in Qatar," he stated. "I’m concerned about the future. The claim that all development was stopped to prepare for next year seems like a feeble excuse. Ferrari’s position leads me to believe it is a shameful attempt to rationalize failure."
Hamilton has been open about both his and Ferrari's difficulties in 2025, but he also criticized the Qatar race itself, labeling the 2025 event as fundamentally flawed. "This is undoubtedly one of the worst Grands Prix because everyone was stopping at the same time. There’s no flexibility, and on top of that, overtaking is impossible," he remarked.
He highlighted that the enforced 25-lap maximum on each set of tires made the race feel "predetermined," while the lack of overtaking chances turned it into a mere procession. "You know, I don’t want to be a critic, but there was no overtaking last year. I asked, 'Why not extend the DRS zone?' and they replied, 'Oh, we hadn’t considered that.' I thought, 'So what are you doing?'"
The Ferrari driver also criticized the unnecessarily lengthy pitlane design. "The pitstop here takes 26 seconds—the speed limit begins very early. We need to find a solution because, and I hope this is noted, it was hardly an enjoyable race to watch."
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Jean Alesi expresses concern about Ferrari's future.
Formula 1 | Jean Alesi expressed that Ferrari's performance in Qatar was so disappointing that it raised concerns for him regarding the team's future direction - meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton characterized the (…)
