Ferrari slammed for “weak excuse” over halted 2025 F1 car development

Jean Alesi has labelled Ferrari’s decision to halt car development early as a “weak excuse” for their poor 2025 F1 campaign.

Ferrari are guaranteed to finish fourth in the constructors’ championship after a disappointing Qatar Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc finished seventh, while Lewis Hamilton failed to finish inside the top 10 after another tough weekend.

Both drivers battled poor handling from the SF-25, with Leclerc spinning off the track in Q3 in Qatar.

Hamilton was knocked out in the first part of qualifying in both sessions last weekend as his wait for a first Ferrari podium goes on.

Ferrari are the only team inside the top four of the constructors’ standings without a win this year.

The SF-25 was ultimately flawed from the start, as Ferrari’s radical design choices didn’t pay off.

Following their double disqualification at the Chinese Grand Prix, Ferrari were forced to run their car at a suboptimal ride height.

Various mechanical upgrades have been introduced during the season with varying degrees of success.

Key limitations remain around the rear of the car, making it particularly difficult for Hamilton to drive.

Off-track, speculation remains around Frederic Vasseur’s future — and how long he has with the team heading into 2026.

Ferrari chairman John Elkann is far from impressed with the current situation.

However, Elkann took his frustration out on the drivers — not the team — after the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Elkann told Leclerc and Hamilton to “talk less” amid their vocal complaints about this year’s car.

Alesi slams Ferrari

During the Qatar GP weekend, team boss Vasseur admitted that he “underestimated” the impact of switching off car development early.

Speaking in the FIA press conference on Friday in Doha, Vasseur said: Quite early in the season, McLaren was so dominating in the first four or five events that we realised it would be very difficult for 2025. It meant that we decided very early in the season – I think it was the end of April – to switch to ’26.

It was a tough call. Perhaps I also underestimated a little bit the call on the psychological side, because when you still have 20 races to go, or 18 races to go, and you know that you won’t bring any aero development, it’s quite tough to manage psychologically.

But overall, we continued to push. We brought some mechanical upgrades, and we are trying to do a better job operationally, and this is the DNA of our sport. We have to accept this. It was a call, and I’m still confident with the call that we made.”

Alesi, who drove for Ferrari from 1991 to 1995, described the team’s attitude as “embarrassing” when trying to justify their poor season.

“I’m seriously worried about the future,” Alesi reportedly told Corriere della Sera.

“Saying development was stopped in favour of next season seems a very weak excuse. All teams worked on two cars this year.

“Ferrari’s attitude is an embarrassing attempt to protect this failure.”