Major blow for Ferrari as team boss Fred Vasseur leaves Austria mid race weekend

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur will miss the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, June 29, as he has returned home, citing personal reasons. According to journalist Julianne Cerasoli, deputy team principal Jerome D'Ambrosio will fill Vasseur's shoes for this weekend.

The Italian team had a strong qualifying session on Saturday, June 28, as Charles Leclerc qualified P2 and Lewis Hamilton settled for P4. The team brought a new floor upgrade for the race to improve performance and fix underlying issues of the car.

However, ahead of the main race on Sunday, Ferrari has received a major blow. Team principal Fred Vasseur left Austria mid-weekend to return home due to personal reasons.

According to F1 journalist Julianne Cerasoli, Vasseur will not be on the Ferrari pit wall on June 29 to monitor the race. To fill his shoes, deputy team principal Jerome D'Ambrosio will step in as a temporary replacement.

This development came days after speculations over Vasseur's future with Ferrari surfaced in Italian media. According to reports, the Frenchman could lose his job by the end of the season as the Ferrari board is allegedly losing confidence in him.

However, Vasseur lashed out at the media during the 2025 Canadian GP. He accused them of disrespecting and distracting the team by spreading false rumors. He added that such negative coverage was part of the reason behind the Italian team's championship drought.

Fred Vasseur joined Ferrari as team principal in 2023, replacing Mattia Binotto. His three-year contract expires by the end of the year. Moreover, with the team falling short of the Constructors title in 2024 and improving in 2025, speculations over the Frenchman's future have picked up pace.

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Lewis Hamilton backs Fred Vasseur amid an uncertain future

Lewis Hamilton with Fred Vasseur at the F1 75 Live - Show - Source: Getty

The reports of Ferrari allegedly losing confidence in team principal Fred Vasseur broke out in the lead-up to the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix. However, Lewis Hamilton took a strong stand for Vasseur, saying he, the Frenchman, was the reason behind his switch to Ferrari.

Talking to Motorsportweek, Hamilton said:

“It’s definitely not nice to hear that there are stories like that that are out there. Firstly, I love working with Fred. Fred’s the main reason I’m in this team and got the opportunity to be here, which I’m forever grateful for. I want Fred here. "I do believe Fred is the person to take us to the top. Ultimately, it’s nonsense what people have written. Most people don’t know what’s going on in the background."

Apart from Vasseur, reports also claimed that Lewis Hamilton was allegedly unhappy with Ferrari, as he felt unheard. Not only that, but Charles Leclerc was reportedly losing confidence in the Italian team as well. The Italian media claimed that Leclerc could trigger his exit clause to explore options for 2026.

Edited by Hitesh Nigam