The German publication Bild reported the arrest of former Formula 1 driver Adrian Sutil. There are no official details yet, but according to the paper Sutil was arrested during an international operation on charges of fraud and embezzlement. It is expected that, as the investigation progresses, more information will emerge about the circumstances of the arrest and the charges brought.
Adrian Sutil competed in Formula 1 from 2007 to 2014 for Spyker, Force India and Sauber. He scored 124 points in his career, and his best result was fourth place at the 2009 Italian Grand Prix.
This is not Sutil’s first run-in with the law. In 2011 he was involved in a brawl at a Shanghai nightclub, where he injured Lotus team manager Eric Lux with a champagne glass. Sutil was subsequently found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm and was given an 18-month suspended sentence and a fine.
Adrian Sutil competed in Formula 1 from 2007 to 2014 for Spyker, Force India and Sauber. He scored 124 points in his career, and his best result was fourth place at the 2009 Italian Grand Prix.
This is not Sutil’s first run-in with the law. In 2011 he was involved in a brawl at a Shanghai nightclub, where he injured Lotus team manager Eric Lux with a champagne glass. Sutil was subsequently found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm and was given an 18-month suspended sentence and a fine.
Nico Hülkenberg: The balance of power could still change
Sauber drivers put in a decent sprint qualifying and hope for further progress over the course of the weekend…
Gabriel Bortoleto (13th): “We did well, although there’s a feeling we could have got more out of the car. On the first run in the second session there wasn’t enough grip, but after a quick stop in the pits for fine-tuning the second attempt was better.
It’s a bit frustrating that I didn’t make the final — I was short by just one and a half tenths, but in this sport everything is decided by fractions of a second.
As for tomorrow’s sprint, we know that overtaking here isn’t easy. We’ll keep fighting, try to get through the sprint cleanly, and then the qualifying.
Sauber drivers put in a decent sprint qualifying and hope for further progress over the course of the weekend…
Gabriel Bortoleto (13th): “We did well, although there’s a feeling we could have got more out of the car. On the first run in the second session there wasn’t enough grip, but after a quick stop in the pits for fine-tuning the second attempt was better.
It’s a bit frustrating that I didn’t make the final — I was short by just one and a half tenths, but in this sport everything is decided by fractions of a second.
As for tomorrow’s sprint, we know that overtaking here isn’t easy. We’ll keep fighting, try to get through the sprint cleanly, and then the qualifying.
Gasly: The result is disappointing, but we're not fast enough.
Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto finished at the back of the sprint qualifying in Qatar. The team are unsurprisingly unhappy with the result, but admitted the car lacks pace on this circuit.
Pierre Gasly (19th): “Sprint qualifying wasn’t easy, and the result was disappointing.
On the final lap of the first session I had problems already at turn one due to cold tyres – at the start of the lap there simply wasn’t enough grip, and I lost a lot of time. The tyres gradually warmed up and the second and third sectors went much better, but too much was lost at the start of the lap.
We were probably not quick enough to make it into the second part, but at least we got information and hopefully we can improve in Saturday’s qualifying.
Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto finished at the back of the sprint qualifying in Qatar. The team are unsurprisingly unhappy with the result, but admitted the car lacks pace on this circuit.
Pierre Gasly (19th): “Sprint qualifying wasn’t easy, and the result was disappointing.
On the final lap of the first session I had problems already at turn one due to cold tyres – at the start of the lap there simply wasn’t enough grip, and I lost a lot of time. The tyres gradually warmed up and the second and third sectors went much better, but too much was lost at the start of the lap.
We were probably not quick enough to make it into the second part, but at least we got information and hopefully we can improve in Saturday’s qualifying.
Pirelli noticed cuts on the tires.
On Friday the drivers were unhappy with the asphalt in Qatar, but Pirelli believes the situation is still better than last year, although they did notice tyre damage by the end of the day…
Simone Berra, Pirelli’s chief engineer: “On Friday the track conditions were definitely better than a year ago, when the wind blew too much sand onto the asphalt. Now the level of grip, combined with the evolution of the cars, has led to lap times being not only better than in equivalent sessions last year, but also better than in the simulator.
In the only practice session teams got to grips with the track using Hard tyres, leaving one set for the race on Sunday, and then finished the session on Softs. The difference between Soft and Medium was clearly noticeable in sprint qualifying, where it amounted to six to seven tenths of a second.
On Friday the drivers were unhappy with the asphalt in Qatar, but Pirelli believes the situation is still better than last year, although they did notice tyre damage by the end of the day…
Simone Berra, Pirelli’s chief engineer: “On Friday the track conditions were definitely better than a year ago, when the wind blew too much sand onto the asphalt. Now the level of grip, combined with the evolution of the cars, has led to lap times being not only better than in equivalent sessions last year, but also better than in the simulator.
In the only practice session teams got to grips with the track using Hard tyres, leaving one set for the race on Sunday, and then finished the session on Softs. The difference between Soft and Medium was clearly noticeable in sprint qualifying, where it amounted to six to seven tenths of a second.
McLaren's Stella advocates for a review of the floor disqualification rule.
He has urged the FIA to contemplate proportionality.
McLaren has arrived in Qatar still grappling with the repercussions of its double disqualification in Las Vegas, with team principal Andrea Stella indicating that the FIA is already looking into whether the floor-wear regulation requires modification.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who faced an identical plank-wear disqualification in China, has openly supported McLaren’s stance that the regulation can penalize teams for minor, unpredictable variations.
"It's a tricky regulation," Leclerc remarked in Qatar. "I'm sure no team goes onto the track with the intention of having an illegal car. It takes very little—perhaps just a gust of wind—to alter everything, and it's incredibly hard to foresee all possible scenarios. These are points that will need discussion.
He has urged the FIA to contemplate proportionality.
McLaren has arrived in Qatar still grappling with the repercussions of its double disqualification in Las Vegas, with team principal Andrea Stella indicating that the FIA is already looking into whether the floor-wear regulation requires modification.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who faced an identical plank-wear disqualification in China, has openly supported McLaren’s stance that the regulation can penalize teams for minor, unpredictable variations.
"It's a tricky regulation," Leclerc remarked in Qatar. "I'm sure no team goes onto the track with the intention of having an illegal car. It takes very little—perhaps just a gust of wind—to alter everything, and it's incredibly hard to foresee all possible scenarios. These are points that will need discussion.
Marko questions Newey's ability to succeed as the Aston boss.
"That truly took me by surprise."
Dr. Helmut Marko has cast doubt on the unexpected decision to appoint Adrian Newey as Aston Martin's next team principal, while Fernando Alonso asserts that the renowned designer had already been acting as a de-facto leader behind the scenes. In an interview with Kleine Zeitung, Marko, a close former colleague of Newey at Red Bull, expressed his astonishment. "That truly took me by surprise," he remarked. "We'll have to see how that unfolds in practice."
Marko cautioned that the new position entails greater involvement in race weekend operations and management—an area he believes is not Newey's strongest attribute. "That is certainly not his strength," he stated. "His major strengths lie in design, car setup, and the quality of production and development.
"That truly took me by surprise."
Dr. Helmut Marko has cast doubt on the unexpected decision to appoint Adrian Newey as Aston Martin's next team principal, while Fernando Alonso asserts that the renowned designer had already been acting as a de-facto leader behind the scenes. In an interview with Kleine Zeitung, Marko, a close former colleague of Newey at Red Bull, expressed his astonishment. "That truly took me by surprise," he remarked. "We'll have to see how that unfolds in practice."
Marko cautioned that the new position entails greater involvement in race weekend operations and management—an area he believes is not Newey's strongest attribute. "That is certainly not his strength," he stated. "His major strengths lie in design, car setup, and the quality of production and development.
Belgian GP director criticized for trip to Qatar.
"You must accept accountability"
A new controversy in Belgian politics has unexpectedly brought the future of the grand prix at Spa-Francorchamps back into the spotlight. Georges-Louis Bouchez, the president of the MR party and newly appointed vice-president of the Spa Grand Prix organization, skipped an important budget vote in the Federal Parliament on Thursday to attend the Formula 1 race in Qatar this weekend, as reported by RTBF. Bouchez stated he was in Doha "as vice-president of Spa Grand Prix to engage with F1 management and other promoters to secure future editions of the Grand Prix." MR parliamentary leader Benoit Piedboeuf supported him, saying, "He went to negotiate an important contract - we’ll see what the outcome is.
"You must accept accountability"
A new controversy in Belgian politics has unexpectedly brought the future of the grand prix at Spa-Francorchamps back into the spotlight. Georges-Louis Bouchez, the president of the MR party and newly appointed vice-president of the Spa Grand Prix organization, skipped an important budget vote in the Federal Parliament on Thursday to attend the Formula 1 race in Qatar this weekend, as reported by RTBF. Bouchez stated he was in Doha "as vice-president of Spa Grand Prix to engage with F1 management and other promoters to secure future editions of the Grand Prix." MR parliamentary leader Benoit Piedboeuf supported him, saying, "He went to negotiate an important contract - we’ll see what the outcome is.
After Formula 2 qualifying in Qatar the stewards penalized pole-sitter Oliver Goethe. The MP Motorsport driver impeded Martinius Stenshorne in turn six while he was on a flying lap. As a penalty Goethe will drop three places on the grid for Sunday's race. Thus, the Formula 2 pole for Sunday will be taken by the championship leader, Leonardo Fornaroli.
Verstappen believes it's time for McLaren's impressive title run to come to an end.
"It's a bit early to determine if there's an issue."
Max Verstappen's pursuit of the championship became even more challenging on Friday in Qatar, as the Red Bull driver finished P6 in sprint qualifying, even trailing Yuki Tsunoda for the first time. "Yeah, not good," Verstappen conceded, attributing his lack of speed to understeer and "bouncing." Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies informed Canal Plus that the team was looking into whether an earlier off-track incident caused damage to the floor. "It's a bit early to assess if there's a problem, but we didn’t perform at the level we would have preferred," he stated. "We were quite wide on the first run—very wide, indeed," he chuckled. "Did that damage the floor? That's what we're investigating.
"It's a bit early to determine if there's an issue."
Max Verstappen's pursuit of the championship became even more challenging on Friday in Qatar, as the Red Bull driver finished P6 in sprint qualifying, even trailing Yuki Tsunoda for the first time. "Yeah, not good," Verstappen conceded, attributing his lack of speed to understeer and "bouncing." Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies informed Canal Plus that the team was looking into whether an earlier off-track incident caused damage to the floor. "It's a bit early to assess if there's a problem, but we didn’t perform at the level we would have preferred," he stated. "We were quite wide on the first run—very wide, indeed," he chuckled. "Did that damage the floor? That's what we're investigating.
Hamilton bows out in Qatar as Ralf speculates on the future.
Lewis Hamilton has entered a phase of complete silence in Qatar, providing some of the briefest and coldest responses of his career following another challenging day. When asked to comment on his disappointing P18 finish in sprint qualifying, the seven-time world champion straightforwardly stated: "Same as always." In response to whether the trial with the higher-downforce wing was effective, Hamilton replied: "No, clearly not." When questioned about any positives from Qatar thus far, he remarked: "The weather’s nice."
His evasive stance comes shortly after Ferrari chairman John Elkann encouraged him to "talk less," amidst increasing speculation regarding his commitment following his remark in Las Vegas that he’s "not looking forward" to 2026.
Lewis Hamilton has entered a phase of complete silence in Qatar, providing some of the briefest and coldest responses of his career following another challenging day. When asked to comment on his disappointing P18 finish in sprint qualifying, the seven-time world champion straightforwardly stated: "Same as always." In response to whether the trial with the higher-downforce wing was effective, Hamilton replied: "No, clearly not." When questioned about any positives from Qatar thus far, he remarked: "The weather’s nice."
His evasive stance comes shortly after Ferrari chairman John Elkann encouraged him to "talk less," amidst increasing speculation regarding his commitment following his remark in Las Vegas that he’s "not looking forward" to 2026.
FIA dismisses request for immediate alterations following the meeting.
The ongoing conflict regarding Formula 1’s controversial driving standards guidelines has entered a new stage in Qatar, with the FIA releasing an official statement after a significant GPDA meeting, but confirming that no alterations will be made for Qatar or Abu Dhabi.
GPDA leaders George Russell and Carlos Sainz have spearheaded the opposition against the Driving Standards Guidelines (DSGs), claiming these rules have turned competitive racing into a bureaucratic formality. Russell stated clearly, "A global sport such as Formula 1, which generates billions in revenue, must invest in permanent stewards." Sainz expressed even stronger sentiments before the meeting, saying, "There’s been a considerable amount of division among drivers, the FIA, and stewards. There is a lot of confusion.
The ongoing conflict regarding Formula 1’s controversial driving standards guidelines has entered a new stage in Qatar, with the FIA releasing an official statement after a significant GPDA meeting, but confirming that no alterations will be made for Qatar or Abu Dhabi.
GPDA leaders George Russell and Carlos Sainz have spearheaded the opposition against the Driving Standards Guidelines (DSGs), claiming these rules have turned competitive racing into a bureaucratic formality. Russell stated clearly, "A global sport such as Formula 1, which generates billions in revenue, must invest in permanent stewards." Sainz expressed even stronger sentiments before the meeting, saying, "There’s been a considerable amount of division among drivers, the FIA, and stewards. There is a lot of confusion.
Tsunoda dismisses reserve concept following Qatar advantage.
Yuki Tsunoda has expressed that he does not plan to spend 2026 on the sidelines, particularly after achieving one of the most significant qualifying results of his Formula 1 career. The Japanese driver impressed by securing P5 in Qatar's sprint qualifying, marking the first time he has outqualified Max Verstappen, during a weekend when Red Bull is close to finalizing its delayed 2026 lineups.
As Red Bull and Racing Bulls manage four candidates for three seats—Tsunoda, Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson, and up-and-coming talent Arvid Lindblad—the timing is favorable for the 25-year-old. Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane acknowledged that the internal situation is not completely resolved: "I have an idea, but it’s not really finalized yet.
Yuki Tsunoda has expressed that he does not plan to spend 2026 on the sidelines, particularly after achieving one of the most significant qualifying results of his Formula 1 career. The Japanese driver impressed by securing P5 in Qatar's sprint qualifying, marking the first time he has outqualified Max Verstappen, during a weekend when Red Bull is close to finalizing its delayed 2026 lineups.
As Red Bull and Racing Bulls manage four candidates for three seats—Tsunoda, Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson, and up-and-coming talent Arvid Lindblad—the timing is favorable for the 25-year-old. Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane acknowledged that the internal situation is not completely resolved: "I have an idea, but it’s not really finalized yet.
Arnoux: Norris faces greater pressure than Verstappen.
"Max will do everything to win"
Former Ferrari driver Rene Arnoux contends that Max Verstappen is still a formidable contender in the 2025 championship battle, maintaining that the Dutch driver approaches the Qatar-Abu Dhabi finale with "nothing to lose," while Lando Norris bears the burden of expectations. In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Arnoux mentioned that only Verstappen is capable of overcoming a 24-point gap with two races and a sprint still to go. "If anyone can do it, it’s him," Arnoux stated.
"In Formula 1, the margin is just a few tenths, and that's where he excels. He displays remarkable consistency and the ability to enhance his performance throughout the weekend, even if things start poorly. In wet conditions, he’s the only one who can achieve victory from the last position," he noted.
"Max will do everything to win"
Former Ferrari driver Rene Arnoux contends that Max Verstappen is still a formidable contender in the 2025 championship battle, maintaining that the Dutch driver approaches the Qatar-Abu Dhabi finale with "nothing to lose," while Lando Norris bears the burden of expectations. In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Arnoux mentioned that only Verstappen is capable of overcoming a 24-point gap with two races and a sprint still to go. "If anyone can do it, it’s him," Arnoux stated.
"In Formula 1, the margin is just a few tenths, and that's where he excels. He displays remarkable consistency and the ability to enhance his performance throughout the weekend, even if things start poorly. In wet conditions, he’s the only one who can achieve victory from the last position," he noted.
Drivers anticipate the conclusion of sessions as the ground-effect era comes to a close.
The current generation of ground-effect cars from 2022 to 2025 is nearing its conclusion, and the drivers are eagerly anticipating its end. Max Verstappen, who has largely dominated this period, is particularly relieved to see it go. "It hasn’t been comfortable at all in recent years," he shared with Dutch media. "My back suffers, and my feet hurt constantly. Physically, this hasn’t been pleasant. Scans also show concerning results."
He expressed a willingness to revert to the style of F1 before 2022. "We are aware of what the circumstances were like before and what they could be like again. I would prefer to go back to how it was in 2015 and 2016," said the four-time world champion.
The current generation of ground-effect cars from 2022 to 2025 is nearing its conclusion, and the drivers are eagerly anticipating its end. Max Verstappen, who has largely dominated this period, is particularly relieved to see it go. "It hasn’t been comfortable at all in recent years," he shared with Dutch media. "My back suffers, and my feet hurt constantly. Physically, this hasn’t been pleasant. Scans also show concerning results."
He expressed a willingness to revert to the style of F1 before 2022. "We are aware of what the circumstances were like before and what they could be like again. I would prefer to go back to how it was in 2015 and 2016," said the four-time world champion.
Sutil detained in global fraud operation.
He is familiar with legal issues.
Former Formula 1 driver Adrian Sutil has been arrested during a coordinated international police operation. The Bild newspaper reports that investigators are charging the 42-year-old with serious fraud and embezzlement.
The German publication noted that simultaneous raids occurred at Sutil’s residences in Monaco, Switzerland, and Sindelfingen, with officers from the Stuttgart State Criminal Police apprehending him in Germany on Thursday morning. He was subsequently brought before a local court, where a judge enforced an existing arrest warrant.
The Stuttgart public prosecutor’s office has only confirmed that several properties were searched in collaboration with state investigators, without disclosing details regarding the charges.
He is familiar with legal issues.
Former Formula 1 driver Adrian Sutil has been arrested during a coordinated international police operation. The Bild newspaper reports that investigators are charging the 42-year-old with serious fraud and embezzlement.
The German publication noted that simultaneous raids occurred at Sutil’s residences in Monaco, Switzerland, and Sindelfingen, with officers from the Stuttgart State Criminal Police apprehending him in Germany on Thursday morning. He was subsequently brought before a local court, where a judge enforced an existing arrest warrant.
The Stuttgart public prosecutor’s office has only confirmed that several properties were searched in collaboration with state investigators, without disclosing details regarding the charges.
Adrian Newey explained the reshuffle at Aston Martin.
This week Aston Martin unexpectedly announced a reshuffle in its leadership — in 2026 Adrian Newey will replace Andy Cowell as the Formula 1 team principal. The British engineer flew to the Qatar round and, in a conversation with Sky Sports, explained what prompted that decision.
Adrian Newey: "To be honest, it became perfectly clear to us that, given the complexity of the task of integrating the 2026 power unit, Andy's skills would be fully useful in building the cooperation between Honda, Aramco and the team. So he has generously volunteered to take care of all that in the first half of 2026.
And then we asked ourselves, 'Okay, but who will be the team principal?' And since I was going to be at all the early races anyway, those duties wouldn't really affect my workload, so I decided to take on that part of the job as well.
This week Aston Martin unexpectedly announced a reshuffle in its leadership — in 2026 Adrian Newey will replace Andy Cowell as the Formula 1 team principal. The British engineer flew to the Qatar round and, in a conversation with Sky Sports, explained what prompted that decision.
Adrian Newey: "To be honest, it became perfectly clear to us that, given the complexity of the task of integrating the 2026 power unit, Andy's skills would be fully useful in building the cooperation between Honda, Aramco and the team. So he has generously volunteered to take care of all that in the first half of 2026.
And then we asked ourselves, 'Okay, but who will be the team principal?' And since I was going to be at all the early races anyway, those duties wouldn't really affect my workload, so I decided to take on that part of the job as well.
Helmut Marko: Tsunoda was able to improve.
In Friday's sprint qualifying in Qatar, Yuki Tsunoda beat Max Verstappen for the first time this season. The Japanese driver's result pleased Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko, and he even praised Yuki.
"If you remember the Las Vegas round, Yuki was already very close to Max, but we made a mistake with the tyre pressures," Helmut Marko said after sprint qualifying. "Because of that he was knocked out in the first part of qualifying, which ruined his whole weekend. However, his speed has steadily increased. Tsunoda was able to step up, and he became more involved in the work, more interested in the technical side of things."
When Marko was asked whether Tsunoda's performance in Qatar would play any role in the decision on the 2026 line-up, he replied: "We often said that we would make a decision after this weekend, so everything will be known next week.
In Friday's sprint qualifying in Qatar, Yuki Tsunoda beat Max Verstappen for the first time this season. The Japanese driver's result pleased Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko, and he even praised Yuki.
"If you remember the Las Vegas round, Yuki was already very close to Max, but we made a mistake with the tyre pressures," Helmut Marko said after sprint qualifying. "Because of that he was knocked out in the first part of qualifying, which ruined his whole weekend. However, his speed has steadily increased. Tsunoda was able to step up, and he became more involved in the work, more interested in the technical side of things."
When Marko was asked whether Tsunoda's performance in Qatar would play any role in the decision on the 2026 line-up, he replied: "We often said that we would make a decision after this weekend, so everything will be known next week.
Four drivers will start from the pit lane in today’s sprint after teams breached parc fermé conditions while working on their cars. On the cars of Lewis Hamilton, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto the teams altered the suspension configuration. In addition, Hamilton was fitted with a different rear wing, while Stroll had the steering rack, steering upright and part of the diffuser replaced, and his engine energy management system adjusted.
1. Oscar Piastri
McLaren
1:20.055
2. George Russell
Mercedes
1:20.087
+ 0.032
3. Lando Norris
McLaren
1:20.285
+ 0.230
4. Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
1:20.450
+ 0.395
5. Yuki Tsunoda
Red Bull
1:20.519
+ 0.464
6. Max Verstappen
Red Bull
1:20.528
+ 0.473
7. Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
1:20.532
+ 0.477
8. Carlos Sainz
Williams
1:20.542
+ 0.487
9. Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
1:20.622
+ 0.567
10. Alex Albon
Williams
1:20.788
+ 0.733
11. Isack Hadjar
Racing Bulls
1:21.433
12. Oliver Bearman
Haas
1:21.494
13. Gabriel Bortoleto
Sauber
1:21.567
14. Nico Hulkenberg
Sauber
1:21.631
15. Esteban Ocon
Haas
1:21.666
16. Liam Lawson
Racing Bulls
1:21.851
Start from pit lane
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
1:21.807
penalized for violating the parc fermé rule
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
1:22.043
penalized for violating the parc fermé rule
Pierre Gasly
Alpine
1:22.112
penalized for violating the parc fermé rule
Franco Colapinto
Alpine
1:22.364
penalized for violating the parc fermé rule
McLaren
1:20.055
2. George Russell
Mercedes
1:20.087
+ 0.032
3. Lando Norris
McLaren
1:20.285
+ 0.230
4. Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
1:20.450
+ 0.395
5. Yuki Tsunoda
Red Bull
1:20.519
+ 0.464
6. Max Verstappen
Red Bull
1:20.528
+ 0.473
7. Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
1:20.532
+ 0.477
8. Carlos Sainz
Williams
1:20.542
+ 0.487
9. Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
1:20.622
+ 0.567
10. Alex Albon
Williams
1:20.788
+ 0.733
11. Isack Hadjar
Racing Bulls
1:21.433
12. Oliver Bearman
Haas
1:21.494
13. Gabriel Bortoleto
Sauber
1:21.567
14. Nico Hulkenberg
Sauber
1:21.631
15. Esteban Ocon
Haas
1:21.666
16. Liam Lawson
Racing Bulls
1:21.851
Start from pit lane
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
1:21.807
penalized for violating the parc fermé rule
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
1:22.043
penalized for violating the parc fermé rule
Pierre Gasly
Alpine
1:22.112
penalized for violating the parc fermé rule
Franco Colapinto
Alpine
1:22.364
penalized for violating the parc fermé rule
Vasser: We already switched to 2026 back in April.
In Qatar, Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur spoke about the season’s results and plans for 2026...
Question: Frédéric, your drivers’ comments in the media in recent weeks have attracted a lot of attention. How difficult was it for you to deal with that situation?
Frédéric Vasseur: To be honest, I fully understand the drivers’ frustration after a crash, especially when they are not at fault, or after a bad performance. We feel the same frustration in the pit and on the pit wall. The most important thing is the reaction after the disappointment.
Honestly, I think frustration can sometimes be useful. The main thing is the ability on Monday morning to be fully focused on the next race, the next season, the future. I would be disappointed if the drivers were happy after a poor weekend.
In Qatar, Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur spoke about the season’s results and plans for 2026...
Question: Frédéric, your drivers’ comments in the media in recent weeks have attracted a lot of attention. How difficult was it for you to deal with that situation?
Frédéric Vasseur: To be honest, I fully understand the drivers’ frustration after a crash, especially when they are not at fault, or after a bad performance. We feel the same frustration in the pit and on the pit wall. The most important thing is the reaction after the disappointment.
Honestly, I think frustration can sometimes be useful. The main thing is the ability on Monday morning to be fully focused on the next race, the next season, the future. I would be disappointed if the drivers were happy after a poor weekend.
Isola: We had to completely redesign the tires.
Pirelli's head of motorsport Mario Isola on the characteristics of the circuit in Qatar and the 2026 tyres…
Question: Mario, before the weekend you limited the distance for each set of tyres – no more than 25 laps. What is the reason?
Mario Isola: That decision was made last year. Back then there were several punctures during the race, and when we inspected the rubber after the finish it was worn to 100% and even beyond. Already on Saturday after the sprint it was clear that after 25–26 laps the tyres were very worn. Thus, during the race, after 34–35 laps the tyres were effectively running on a high-load circuit without tread. And when you run without tread, the risk of puncture increases. So we decided to limit the distance.
Question: We've been in this situation a couple of years ago.
Pirelli's head of motorsport Mario Isola on the characteristics of the circuit in Qatar and the 2026 tyres…
Question: Mario, before the weekend you limited the distance for each set of tyres – no more than 25 laps. What is the reason?
Mario Isola: That decision was made last year. Back then there were several punctures during the race, and when we inspected the rubber after the finish it was worn to 100% and even beyond. Already on Saturday after the sprint it was clear that after 25–26 laps the tyres were very worn. Thus, during the race, after 34–35 laps the tyres were effectively running on a high-load circuit without tread. And when you run without tread, the risk of puncture increases. So we decided to limit the distance.
Question: We've been in this situation a couple of years ago.