Fred Vasseur to Miss Monaco Qualifying After Medical Checks
fred vasseur will miss qualifying at the Monaco Grand Prix after overnight medical checks and observation at a local medical facility. Ferrari said he will not be present at the circuit on Saturday, leaving the team without its principal for a session that can shape the entire weekend.
Ferrari said on Saturday ahead of final practice that Vasseur is under observation near Monaco and will not be at the circuit today. The team added that no further medical information will be provided and wished him a speedy recovery.
Ferrari Lose Vasseur
The absence comes after a strong Friday for Ferrari, which had a one-two in both practice sessions. Vasseur was at the track then, spoke to the media after Lewis Hamilton topped second practice from team-mate Charles Leclerc, and was seen walking out of the circuit in the evening.
Hamilton called Friday “a positive day overall” and said the car “felt quite good right from the first laps.” He also said Ferrari “were able to work through our programme without any major issues.” That makes Saturday’s leadership change more awkward for a team that arrived with momentum but now has to carry on without the 58-year-old at the venue.
Monaco Qualifying Pressure
Vasseur has led Ferrari since the start of 2023, but the team still has not won a Grand Prix since October 2024. Monaco puts extra weight on qualifying because the track’s bumps and close barriers leave little room to recover if Saturday goes wrong.
Vasseur told the media on Friday, “We have to do a job. It's a very long way from Friday to Qualifying and the race.” He also said, “The most difficult [thing] is you have to anticipate the evolution of the track, the grip. You always have to be one session ahead and this is a challenge for the teams and drivers. We will see on Saturday afternoon the real pace.” Ferrari now has to judge that pace without its team principal on site, with qualifying coming after the overnight medical checks changed the shape of its weekend.
