A few days ago, Jean Alesi described Ferrari’s approach in 2025 as embarrassing. However, shortly afterward, the Frenchman apologized and had a clarification with Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur. Here’s what the key figures said.
As we all know, Ferrari’s 2025 season was far from positive, with the Scuderia finishing as the fourth force in the Constructors’ Championship. During the final rounds, the team received numerous criticisms, particularly from Jean Alesi, who may have felt ‘forced’ to apologize to Fred Vasseur shortly afterward.
“In Qatar we had the worst Grand Prix anyone can remember. I am very concerned about Ferrari’s future. Saying that development was paused in favor of next season seems like a very weak excuse. Every team worked on two cars this year. Ferrari’s approach is an embarrassing attempt to hide this failure,” Jean Alesi commented after the Qatar GP, where Ferrari showed one of its worst performances in recent years.
Alesi changes tune after meeting Vasseur?
“I gave an explosive interview to Corriere della Sera about Scuderia Ferrari, and I came here on the first day to apologize to Fred, telling him it was not directed at the people. But we wanted to see Ferrari at the front. Forza Ferrari.” It seems strange that the former French driver changed his stance less than a week after issuing such sharp criticisms toward Ferrari and even Fred Vasseur. Indeed, it was the French team principal who appeared on camera throughout the season, attempting to ‘hide the failure’. Ferrari aimed for the World Championship, and no one apologized publicly after it became clear that the SF-25 project had failed. The discussion always revolved around potential and execution, when it was obvious that the Modena car simply lacked the performance to keep up with the top teams, as zero victories clearly demonstrate.
“I understand. One of Ferrari’s characteristics is that there’s an emotion you don’t find anywhere else. When you have a good free practice session, you feel like a champion. When you have a bad free practice session, you might need to fire half the team. My job is to calm the situation.” This was Fred Vasseur’s response to Jean Alesi in an interview with Canal+ after the final race of the season. The French manager has repeated similar words many times throughout the year to stabilize the environment.
In conclusion, it is unlikely that Ferrari directly contacted Jean Alesi to make him retract his statements. However, the Frenchman probably received some indirect signals of internal discontent from within the team.
As the team heads into a crucial winter ahead of the 2026 regulation reset, the last thing Maranello needed was one of its most beloved former drivers publicly declaring the current project a failure. Whether the apology was entirely voluntary or gently encouraged, calm has been restored – for now.
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