Ferrari Boss Fred Vasseur Absent From Monaco GP Saturday For Medical Observation

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur will miss Saturday’s action at the Monaco Grand Prix after being kept under observation at a local medical facility.
The Frenchman will not be present for either final practice or qualifying, with track action set to begin at 12:30pm ahead of a 4pm qualifying session.
A Ferrari statement confirmed the news, reading: “Fred Vasseur will not be present at the circuit today. Following some medical checks, Fred will remain under observation at a local medical facility.”
The statement continued: “No further medical information will be provided. We wish Fred a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back at the track soon.”
With Vasseur absent, his duties are expected to be handled by deputy team principal Jerome d’Ambrosio, the former F1 driver who has held the role since October 2024 after a year at Mercedes.
Despite the uncertainty around their team boss, Ferrari arrive at Saturday’s sessions in strong form after finishing first and second in both Friday practice sessions.
Charles Leclerc set the pace in FP1 with a 1m13.978s, finishing 0.226s ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton, before Hamilton reversed the order in FP2, beating Leclerc by 0.111s.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished third in both sessions, sitting just 0.168s off Hamilton in the afternoon, making the Scuderia well aware they cannot afford complacency heading into qualifying.
Vasseur himself was measured in his assessment on Friday, stating: “I don’t care about this kind of approach or rumours that we have to do the job.”
The Ferrari boss also warned that Friday pace means very little around the streets of Monte Carlo, adding: “It’s a very long way in Monaco from Friday first to the quali and to the race.”
Vasseur further explained the unique challenge the circuit presents, saying: “The most difficult is that you have to anticipate the evolution of the track, the evolution of the grip.”
He continued: “You have to be always one session ahead. This is a real challenge for the team and for the drivers. It’s still a long way and we’ll see tomorrow evening about the real pace.”
Leclerc, who secured Ferrari’s last Monaco victory in 2024 before Lando Norris won for McLaren in 2025, shared his boss’s cautious outlook heading into qualifying.
“Red Bull, and Max especially, was very close to us in FP2,” said the Monegasque driver, acknowledging the threat from multiple directions.
Leclerc added: “I expect them to be very strong, I expect McLaren and Mercedes, as well, once they put everything together in qualifying, they will be very close. So I think it’s going to be a tight qualifying and more than what people expect.”
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