(Motorsport-Total.com) – Following this year’s Monaco Grand Prix, the FIA stewards reactivated Pierre Gasly’s third place last Friday, after the Alpine driver had originally been given two time penalties (five seconds each) for two separate pit lane speeding infringements.
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Based on evidence presented to Formula One Management (FOM), a discrepancy was found in the measurement of speeds at the entry to Monaco’s unique pit lane. This discrepancy had led to Gasly and four other drivers being wrongly penalized.
However, while the penalty(ies) for Gasly were withdrawn and the Alpine driver thus got back his third place achieved on track, other drivers had already served their time penalties during the race.
This, in turn, caused disbelief among teams like McLaren and Red Bull regarding the unprecedented decision by the FIA stewards. Both teams announced after the ruling that they would appeal. And both have now apparently put this into action by initiating an actual appeal process. Below is the wording of McLaren’s statement from Tuesday:
“McLaren Racing can confirm that it has officially filed a notice of appeal with the FIA International Court of Appeal regarding the following decisions related to the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix: Stewards’ Document 99, revised final race result document 100, revised World Championship points document 101.”
“While we fully respect the FIA’s judicial processes and the role of the stewards, we believe this case raises important questions regarding sporting fairness, consistency of rules, and the integrity of the competition. Throughout the Monaco Grand Prix weekend – as at every race weekend – all teams acted in accordance with the rules and established standard practices regarding pit lane speed limits as they applied at the time.”
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“The participants adjusted their procedures accordingly and, where necessary, accepted and served the penalties imposed under these regulations. In our view, the subsequent annulment of the penalties leads to a situation where some participants are disadvantaged because they adhered to the rules and the decisions of the stewards. Such an outcome risks creating sporting injustice and undermining confidence in the consistent application of the FIA Sporting Regulations.”
“Our decision to appeal is not directed against a specific competitor. Rather, it reflects our conviction that the racing series benefits from regulations that are applied consistently, transparently, and fairly to all participants. McLaren remains committed to working constructively with the FIA, Formula 1, and fellow competitors to protect the integrity of the sport and maintain confidence in its regulations.”
Red Bull has not yet commented on its own actions, but according to information from our colleagues at Motorsport.com, a sister platform of Motorsport-Total.com in the Motorsport Network, the team has also lodged an appeal after Isack Hadjar lost the third place initially awarded to him back to Gasly.
And: Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff stated on Sunday evening in Barcelona that his team would exercise its own right of review against the decision regarding Gasly. Since then, the necessary documents have been submitted, but it is still unclear whether Mercedes’ application is admissible. The team is currently awaiting further feedback from the FIA.
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