Limited information available regarding Vasseur's departure from the paddock - report.
"Currently, no further developments have surfaced regarding the issue."
In the midst of intense speculation about his future with the team, Frederic Vasseur abruptly left the paddock in Austria. A Ferrari spokesperson confirmed, "Fred will not be at the track today because he has had to return home for personal reasons."
Media insiders have reported, both in Canada and during the weekend at the Red Bull Ring, that Ferrari is considering not extending Vasseur’s three-year contract beyond this year. It remains unclear if the 57-year-old Frenchman's unexpected exit on Sunday is connected to these rumors. "Currently, no further information has come to light on the issue," acknowledged the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport.
La Gazzetta dello Sport added, "This marks the first occasion since he took over in 2023 that the team principal will not be present at the pitwall." Jacques d’Ambrosio, Vasseur's deputy and a former F1 driver, stepped in on Sunday, steering clear of discussions regarding Vasseur. The Belgian merely stated, "Fred and I communicate 20 times a day."
D’Ambrosio, 39, chose to focus on the success of the new floor upgrade that enabled Charles Leclerc to reach the podium on Sunday. "The underbody builds on the old one’s philosophy and aligns with our expectations," he remarked.
When asked about the latest friction between Lewis Hamilton and his race engineer, Riccardo Adami, d’Ambrosio said, "After I clarified the situation to Lewis, he quickly accepted and understood." Regarding Hamilton’s broader challenges, he noted, "Internally, we see he has managed qualifying well over the last three races, but not as effectively during the races. However, today he had a strong performance, consistently close to Charles. Lewis is undeniably a winner. He knows everything, and it's crucial for our team to find the right balance. We have different approaches as a team, and he needs to acclimatize. But this transition is going smoothly, and he gets along well with Charles, too."
Bernie Ecclestone, the former F1 head, made a rare appearance in the paddock in Austria and was naturally questioned about the current unrest surrounding Vasseur. "I hope he can perform his role because it’s not right to keep replacing one person with another," remarked the 94-year-old. "The replacement is rarely satisfied with their predecessor or their contributions. If they want to implement change, they need to modify the leadership. I believe the issue stems from a lack of clear authority—everyone felt in charge. They need a decisive leader to unequivocally state, 'this is how it’s going to be.' They should bring Luca Montezemolo back," Ecclestone joked.
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