As Frederic Vasseur freely admits, Carlos Sainz could have called him a "f***ing b*****d" when he was told that he was losing his seat to Lewis Hamilton.
But, according to the Frenchman, his driver was been nothing but professional about the situation. That's despite being told before the season had even begun that this year will be his last as a Ferrari racer.
"His reaction has been a good one," Vasseur told the New York Times. "Rather than him saying, 'Ah, you f***ing b*****d', blah blah blah. Instead, he has created a positive dynamic and I'm full of respect for this."
Sainz has done well during his time as a Ferrari driver and has been a close match for team-mate Charles Leclerc. The latter has out-scored his partner in two seasons out of their three together prior to this, but last year's competition was decided by just six points.
Leclerc was the one who was handed a new five-year deal in January - while Sainz has been axed. Vasseur admits it was perhaps unfair on the Spaniard, but someone had to make way as he could not turn down the chance to bring seven-time F1 champion Hamilton into the fold.
He explained: "For the team, being able to have Lewis on board was a no-brainer for tons of reasons, and I had to take a decision. The decision was harsh, but the way we managed it with Carlos, and the people around Carlos, was the best that we could because it wasn't easy.
"I remember perfectly that we closed the discussion by saying, 'It is like it is. Let's push until the last corner of the last lap and do a mega-good season'."
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And so far the general consensus is that Sainz has performed. He has 15 points fewer than Leclerc after the first six race weekends, but missed one of those events through illness and is the only one of the Ferrari pair to have won a race so far this term.
Vasseur also admitted he was vital last term and said: "When I joined, I said that I tried to have Carlos with me in the junior series, and then at Renault, and then at Sauber, and it was never possible, so I was pleased to have Carlos with me when I joined Ferrari. I'm perfectly aware of the job he did last year.
"First, he brought us the podium in Monza, then the win [in Singapore] but he was also the artisan of our recovery after the summer break. He came back in Zandvoort and he did a very good job, pushing the team a lot, and this helped massively for Charles to recover and to do a charge. Let me make clear, it was not one pushing the other. It was a positive collaboration."