'Misinterpreted' Max Verstappen staunchly defended: 'That is not a critique'

Max Verstappen is "struggling a lot" in F1 this season, according to Jean Alesi, who does not understand why some people have misinterpreted the Dutchman’s grievances with the new era of F1.

The four-time world champion is not enjoying driving the first Red Bull built under the revamped regulations; furthermore, the team is facing serious issues with the RB22, and results are falling far short of expectations.

The 28-year-old has perhaps never been as dejected as he has been lately, but former F1 driver empathises with his situation — even though, unlike Verstappen, Alesi himself has no problem with F1’s transformation.

"Max is struggling a lot at the moment. Really struggling," the one-time grand prix winner told RacingNews365 during an exclusive interview.

"Because you see the system they have now with the car, the way they operate the throttle, they have less electric power, so… Is it, at the moment, right now, the point where the fast drivers are more in trouble than the other ones? Maybe.

"Because you see the qualifying here [at Suzuka], Max and Charles [Leclerc], they have been faster in every corner, but slower at the end of the lap time."

A 'message for improvement'

According to Alesi, Verstappen has done, and continues to do, everything possible to pull Red Bull out of this difficult situation, but the ball is now in the team's court. 

"It's just more on the engineers' side," the Frenchman added. "The maximum he can do now is just to stay quiet and to let the engineers make the improvements. It's the only thing he can do."

Verstappen has been speaking with his characteristic directness about Red Bull's problems, which many F1 pundits have interpreted as an outburst or an attack against the team.

Alesi does not understand why people have misinterpreted the 71-time grand prix winner.

"Absolutely," answered Alesi when asked how much he liked Verstappen's honesty. "He is pushing the team. It doesn't mean that you are against the team.

"As a driver, of course, you push your team. He cannot go to a press conference and say: 'my team is fantastic, my car is fantastic, everything is perfect'.

"He has to say: 'the engine has to be like that, the aero at the moment is this direction, we have to change the direction'. That is not a critique. It's a message for improvement."

The matured champion

For Alesi, Verstappen, and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc stand out from the current grid; however, when asked, he pointed out that he considers the former to be the best of the current era.

The former Tyrrell, Ferrari, Benetton, Sauber, Prost and Jordan driver is impressed by the progression, which has seen Verstappen transform from one of the most aggressive drivers on the grid into one of the most intelligent.

"I love him. You know why? Because he had a moment where he was… The aggressiveness with which he fought against Lewis in that rivalry.

"It looked like when he had Lewis on the front, he wanted to jump on him. He has now become a real fighter. He makes overtakes, but he doesn't pull out his guy.

"He is the guy of great overtakes. Before, it was difficult. I didn't like… The aggressiveness was a bit too much, but now he is the most incredible driver on track. I love to watch him. I love to see his intelligence during a race."

When asked if he would grant Verstappen the 'number one' status on his own all-time list, the 61-year-old Frenchman stated: "He is the number one, but in the whole history? No, because you can't compare Ayrton Senna, you can't compare Juan Manuel Fangio, you can't compare Tazio Nuvolari… You know, the machine, the risk, everything was different.

"But from this new generation of drivers, let's say the 2000s drivers, he is, for me, the best."