The reason behind Vasseur's abrupt departure from the paddock has come to light.

The reason behind Vasseur's abrupt departure from the paddock has come to light.

      The Frenchman is also expected to miss Silverstone on Thursday.

      Amid intense speculation surrounding his future with Ferrari, the reason for Frederic Vasseur's sudden departure from the Red Bull Ring last Sunday has come to light. Many suspect that the Ferrari team principal's three-year contract will not be extended, as he left the Austrian GP on race day. The team only mentioned "personal reasons" without providing further details, which intensified the speculation regarding his future.

      However, it has now been revealed that Vasseur's 76-year-old mother, Chantal Fontan, passed away on the same day. Consequently, it is likely that the Frenchman will also be absent from Silverstone on Thursday, as it coincides with the funeral in Sainte-Foy-les-Lyon in eastern France.

      For this weekend's British GP, Ferrari is set to introduce another upgrade for its 2025 car, as reported by Eurosport Italia—the long-awaited revised rear suspension. This upgrade is anticipated to enhance the car's performance even more, following the floor upgrade in Austria, which helped Charles Leclerc secure a spot on the front row and reach the podium. Lewis Hamilton finished the Austrian GP in P4. "I believe we've made progress," stated the seven-time world champion. "The upgrade (in Austria) was relatively minor—we weren’t fully aware of it. They didn’t mention it significantly. But I think it was an improvement, and that’s truly positive."

      Ferrari currently sits second in the constructors’ championship, but it is the only top team among McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes without a single race win in 2025. La Gazzetta dello Sport’s Paolo Filisetti traces the car's issues back to a critical moment last year when 2025 car project manager Enrico Cardile "left the Scuderia unexpectedly" as he transitioned to Aston Martin. "It left the Prancing Horse without a technical director—a role that Frederic Vasseur temporarily took on while awaiting Loic Serra's arrival from Mercedes," he explained. "In hindsight, those six months of uncertainty are recognized as the root of the current car's problems," Filisetti noted.

      Serra's former boss at Mercedes, Toto Wolff, encourages Vasseur's superiors to finalize a new contract with the Frenchman to quell the ongoing speculation and restore stability to the project. "Fred is one of the best racing managers I know," the Austrian told Marca sports newspaper. "If I weren’t here, I’d select Fred." "Give him the space he needs—allow him to take action," Wolff continued. "Let him organize the structure, which cannot be accomplished overnight. Loic has been around for six or seven months—you need to let him proceed with his work."

The reason behind Vasseur's abrupt departure from the paddock has come to light.

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The reason behind Vasseur's abrupt departure from the paddock has come to light.

Formula 1 | In light of the intense speculation surrounding his future with the team, the reason for Frederic Vasseur's abrupt departure from the Red Bull Ring last Sunday has come to light. (…)