Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur to Miss Monaco GP Saturday for Medical Checks

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur will not attend Saturday at the Monaco Grand Prix as he remains under observation at a local medical facility, handing control to deputy Jerome d’Ambrosio. The timing could not be more critical: Ferrari topped both Friday practice sessions and aims to halt Mercedes’ perfect run through the opening five races of the 2026 season.

Why it matters:

Monaco punishes any lapse in leadership and strategy. With Vasseur sidelined, responsibility shifts to d’Ambrosio, who took up the deputy post in October 2024 after a year at Mercedes. The Scuderia has endured a winless start to the 2026 campaign, yet the SF-26 thrives in low-speed corners, making this its best shot yet to challenge the Silver Arrows. A single misstep under interim command could waste a golden opportunity.

The details:

• Medical absence: Ferrari confirmed Vasseur is undergoing checks and will miss final practice and qualifying. The team stated that no further health details will be released.
• Stand-in leader: D’Ambrosio, a former F1 driver, is expected to assume all operational and strategic duties for the remainder of the weekend.
• Friday pace: Charles Leclerc led FP1 ahead of Lewis Hamilton, before Hamilton reversed the order in FP2 with a 0.111s margin. Max Verstappen finished third in both sessions, winding up just 0.168s off the pace in FP2.
• Title context: Mercedes has won every grand prix so far in 2026, but Ferrari’s Monaco form suggests the frontrunners may finally face a credible threat.

What's next:

Saturday qualifying will test Ferrari without its team principal on the pit wall. Leclerc and Hamilton have already warned against reading too much into Friday times given Monaco’s dramatic track evolution, yet the SF-26 clearly has the raw speed to contest pole. Whether d’Ambrosio can guide the squad through the uniquely high-pressure Monaco session may define the entire race weekend.