{"id":384374,"date":"2026-01-01T08:51:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T08:51:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/384374\/"},"modified":"2026-01-01T08:51:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T08:51:15","slug":"f1-star-hands-ferrari-a-damning-verdict","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/384374\/","title":{"rendered":"F1 star hands Ferrari a damning verdict"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"235966\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thejudge13.com\/2026\/01\/01\/f1-star-hands-ferrari-a-damning-verdict\/attachment\/jeanalesi-ezgif-com-webp-to-avif-converter-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/thejudge13.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/jeanalesi-ezgif.com-webp-to-avif-converter.avif\" data-orig-size=\"1024,768\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"jeanalesi-ezgif.com-webp-to-avif-converter\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/thejudge13.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/jeanalesi-ezgif.com-webp-to-avif-converter-400x300.avif\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/thejudge13.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/jeanalesi-ezgif.com-webp-to-avif-converter.avif\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-235966\" src=\"https:\/\/thejudge13.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/jeanalesi-ezgif.com-webp-to-avif-converter.avif\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am seriously worried.\u201d says F1 legend, delivers damning verdict on Ferrari \u2013\u00a0For the first time since 2021, the team has completed a season without securing a single Grand Prix victory. This alone highlights the extent of the disappointment in Maranello. Matters are made worse by the fact that the Scuderia finished fourth in the Constructors\u2019 World Championship, missing out on a top-three finish for the first time since 2020. For a team that prioritises titles over progress, the 2025 campaign has left little to celebrate.<\/p>\n<p>Even before the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, former Ferrari driver Jean Alesi expressed serious concerns about the team\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n<p>In an opinion column for Corriere della Sera, the Frenchman admitted that he had deliberately avoided talking about Ferrari for weeks, unwilling to comment while emotions were running high. However, following what he described as a disastrous weekend in Qatar, Alesi felt compelled to speak out.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thejudge13.com\/2025\/12\/31\/former-drivers-mock-lewis-hamilton-harshly\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Former Drivers Mock Lewis Hamilton Harshly<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Qatar proved to be the breaking point<\/p>\n<p>Ferrari\u2019s performance in Qatar proved to be the final straw. Charles Leclerc finished eighth, while Lewis Hamilton could manage only twelfth, a result that Alesi labelled \u2018the worst Grand Prix in living memory\u2019 for the Scuderia. For Alesi, the race symbolised a season that never truly came together.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was a total disappointment for us fans,\u201d he wrote, criticising both Ferrari\u2019s weak start to the year and their lack of progress as the season went on.<\/p>\n<p>He also echoed comments previously made by Ferrari president John Elkann, who publicly criticised the drivers in an attempt to stimulate change within the team.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI thought the president\u2019s criticism would motivate the team to take action and provide Leclerc and Hamilton with a more competitive car,\u201d Alesi explained. \u201cInstead, nothing changed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thejudge13.com\/2025\/12\/30\/ferrari-rumours-purported-vasseur-successor-breaks-silence-on-leadership-talk\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Vasseur successor breaks silence on leadership talk<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Drivers not the main problem<\/p>\n<p>While Alesi acknowledged that Lewis Hamilton \u201cmay bear some of the blame\u201d, he was quick to put the responsibility into perspective.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe has won seven world championships,\u201d Alesi noted, \u201cwhile Ferrari has won nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ferrari\u2019s last world title dates back to 2008, meaning the team is now facing a 17-year championship drought.<\/p>\n<p>For Alesi, this statistic highlights a deeper structural problem that cannot be blamed solely on the drivers. In his view, even elite talent cannot compensate for a lack of technical and strategic excellence.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thejudge13.com\/2025\/12\/31\/ferrari-cheating-allegations-against-red-bull-mercedes\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Breaking: Ferrari cheating allegations against Red Bull &amp; Mercedes<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Concerns over development strategy<\/p>\n<p>Alesi reserved his harshest criticism for Ferrari\u2019s development approach. Team principal Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Vasseur explained that work on the 2025 car was halted early in order to focus entirely on the all-new 2026 regulations. However, Alesi found this reasoning unconvincing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am seriously worried about the future,\u201d he wrote. \u201cSaying that all development has been stopped to prepare for next year seems to me a very weak excuse.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He pointed out that rival teams had managed to improve their cars in 2025 while working on their 2026 projects simultaneously.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis attitude makes me think of an embarrassing attempt to cover up a failure,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>According to FormulaPassion, Alesi later apologised personally to Vasseur for the severity of his comments. Speaking to Canal+ in Abu Dhabi, he clarified that his criticism was aimed at the overall situation rather than at individuals within Ferrari.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, Alesi stressed that his words came from passion, not hostility. Like many fans, the former Ferrari driver simply wants to see the Scuderia back at the very top of Formula 1.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thejudge13.com\/2025\/12\/31\/kimi-antonelli-blames-mercedes-for-his-mid-summer-2025-slump\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Kimi Antonelli blames Mercedes for his mid summer 2025 slump<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thejudge13.com\/2025\/12\/31\/fia-plans-to-reduce-the-power-of-the-manufacturers\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"233569\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thejudge13.com\/2025\/11\/18\/christian-horner-meets-f1-ceo-and-zak-brown-in-an-f1-return-bid\/attachment\/f1-grand-prix-of-abu-dhabi-practice\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thejudge13.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/domenical-ben-sulayem.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,675\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.2&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Formula 1 via Getty Images&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS R3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - NOVEMBER 24: Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the Formula One Group, and Mohammed ben Sulayem, FIA President, walk in the Paddock during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on November 24, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Dan Istitene - Formula 1\/Formula 1 via Getty Images)&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1700836690&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;2023 Formula One World Championship Limited&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;85&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1250&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0015625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi - Practice&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi \u2013 Practice\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES \u2013 NOVEMBER 24: Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the Formula One Group, and Mohammed ben Sulayem, FIA President, walk in the Paddock during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on November 24, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Dan Istitene \u2013 Formula 1\/Formula 1 via Getty Images)&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thejudge13.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/domenical-ben-sulayem.jpg?fit=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thejudge13.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/domenical-ben-sulayem.jpg?fit=470%2C264&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-233569\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/domenical-ben-sulayem.jpg\" alt=\"FIA president F1 CEO\" width=\"470\" height=\"264\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>There is grave concern at the FIA over how the all new 2026 Formula One power units will perform. In a desperate bid to prevent an epic failure in the racing spectacle, F1\u2019s governing body convened an emergency meeting with the manufacturers in Bahrain to correct the \u2018over optimistic\u2019 power output from the hybrid side of the new engines.<\/p>\n<p>Concerns were first raised by Christian Horner in 2023 that the all new specification of power units would create \u201cFrankenstein monsters\u201d due to an over reliance on electrical output. Almost two years later the FIA\u2019s pow wow in Bahrain sought to address this issue.<\/p>\n<p>The problem is that at a number of circuits where braking is limited and the straights are long, that the cars will be incapable of generating enough electrical charge to deliver the mandated 50% of power output.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Concerns electrical output overstated<\/p>\n<p>This would result in cars ruing out of electrical charge towards the end of the straights, visibly slowing the cars as they approached the next turn. The spectacle could be disastrous for the fans and the series would descend into farce.<\/p>\n<p>Yet any reduction in the amount of electrical output had to be agreed by all but one of the PU manufacturers and such agreement could not be found. The result was both the FIA and FOM issuing statements suggesting the current F1 power cycle could be truncated and a return to V*\u2019s introduced before even 2030.<\/p>\n<p>Foiled by their attempt to introduce what would be a mere software adjustment for all the teams, the FIA issued a dictate in August which outlined how they would prevent F1 becoming a farce or dominated by a single manufacturer who has aced the new PU regulations.<\/p>\n<p>FIA director of day to day operations, Nicolas Tombazis revealed: \u201cWe\u2019ve introduced a\u2026<a href=\"https:\/\/thejudge13.com\/2025\/12\/31\/fia-plans-to-reduce-the-power-of-the-manufacturers\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">READ MORE ON THIS STORY<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"m-a-box-avatar-url\" href=\"https:\/\/thejudge13.com\/author-bio-alex-stanton\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/A-Stanton.png\" class=\"attachment-50x50 size-50x50\" alt=\"A Stanton author bio pic\" itemprop=\"image\"   data-attachment-id=\"229152\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/thejudge13.com\/author-bio-alex-stanton\/attachment\/a-stanton\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thejudge13.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/A-Stanton.png?fit=388%2C442&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"388,442\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"A Stanton\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;A Stanton&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thejudge13.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/A-Stanton.png?fit=263%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thejudge13.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/A-Stanton.png?fit=388%2C442&amp;ssl=1\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Stanton is a London-based journalist specialising in sports business and sponsorship. With a degree in economics and years reporting for business-focused publications, Stanton translates F1\u2019s complex financial world into clear, compelling narratives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cI am seriously worried.\u201d says F1 legend, delivers damning verdict on Ferrari \u2013\u00a0For the first time since 2021,&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":384375,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[573],"tags":[64,63,817,813,816,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-384374","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-formula-1","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-f1","11":"tag-formula-1","12":"tag-formula1","13":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384374","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=384374"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384374\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/384375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=384374"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=384374"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=384374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}