Actual tears were shed on Monday when the Rosin family internally announced it would leave Prema Racing - the team it founded in 1983 and turned into one of junior single-seater’s best ever.

Angelo Rosin founded and established the team alongside his wife Grazia Troncon, while their son Rene and Angelina Ertsou have taken on the day-to-day running of the team for some time, but all of them have now left for good.

It doesn’t matter how many times you write that, it doesn’t seem real.

We know in any sport that families holding onto teams at this level is extremely tough. But even so, it’s sad to see this chapter concluded in such a way.

The Race’s sources indicate the news was a shock to all of the mechanics and team personnel in Prema’s factory near Vicenza.

The next question will be: what do the drivers - and their backers - who have paid cumulative fees in the tens of millions to race for Rene and Angelina this year, have to say about the move?

Sure, their contracts will say Prema Racing, but make no mistake who Formula 1 teams and massive sponsors are putting their faith in when they write those cheques for those drivers.

It’s fair to say there have been different factions within the organisation for some time. The Rosins are part-owners, with the team majority-owned by DC Racing Solutions - led by Deborah Mayer - since 2021, when DCRS bought a controlling stake via its previous owner, Lawrence Stroll.

Last year, the team was repeatedly accused of not paying bills during its first season of IndyCar, and it has also been reported that it has taken Lamborghini - which it had been a technical partner of on the Lamborghini LMDh project - to court over a data breach. Outside of North America, I think it’s fair to say things have carried on as normal, at least on the face of things. But friction has been felt.

Undoubtedly, the Rosins have been on the phone all day, receiving calls from many of the drivers and personnel they helped shape into racing’s best. For example, I’d be absolutely shocked if Charles Leclerc hadn’t called on Tuesday. The list of those genuinely caring about these people will be long and very impressive.

It says a lot about how they ran this team. The way a junior single-seater team works is such that drivers might only be with Prema for a season or two. But unlike with many equivalent teams, they almost always stay in touch and Rene and Angelina are like advisors for life if their guidance is needed. They always answer that call to those who have given their best for Prema.

The next questions stack up extremely quickly.

What of those people who have paid to race for the team in 2026 and how much will the Rosins’ departure affect them?

How will the staff be impacted? Will they all stay? While this news came as a surprise to everyone, it appears the staff have not been given much more information than what has been reported in the press. Some learned about the news externally.

What about the Rosins? Will the people who race from January to January be back involved with another team immediately? Or will they take a break and look to start a new project? They will be in high demand if they choose to work for other teams.

And what about the IndyCar team? You’d have to say that would be the part of the operation the Rosins have dealt in least, which says a lot as they have been heavily involved still. This is my opinion based on sources I have spoken to, but without an influx of cash and a hiring spree, I think it will be a massive struggle to get on the grid at all in 2026.

We wait with bated breath for an answer there, as it has two very talented drivers in Callum Ilott and Robert Shwartzman under contract for the season.

Things elsewhere may continue as normal, especially if the Rosins are the only departures. But even if that is the case, this team will never be the same again.

As recently as December 2023 Prema celebrated its 40th anniversary with a glitzy party, attended by Ollie Bearman, Esteban Ocon, Kimi Antonelli, Laurent Mekies, Jacques Villeneuve and more.

Now, the people responsible for initiating all of this history and success have gone. What next for Prema Racing?