Pierre Gasly of Alpine saw his third‑place finish at the Monaco Grand Prix erased for a second time after the penalties originally imposed on him were reinstated following a successful appeal by McLaren and Red Bull. The reversal promotes Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar back onto the podium in third place, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri moves up to fourth.
Gasly is now classified seventh, with Racing Bulls teammates Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad occupying fifth and sixth respectively. The race on June 7 was won by Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton taking second.
Gasly had crossed the finish line in third position on the track, but the stewards immediately demoted him after the checkered flag for two five‑second penalties that had not been served during the race. The penalties were for exceeding the speed limit in the pit lane.
The original finishing order was: 1) Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) 2) Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) 3) Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) 4) Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 5) Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) 6) Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) 7) Pierre Gasly (Alpine) 8) Alex Albon (Williams) 9) Esteban Ocon (Haas) 10) Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) Drivers shown in bold had their positions altered after the International Court of Appeal (ICA) issued its verdict on September 4. Five days after the race, Alpine filed a right‑to‑review request, presenting new evidence that the stewards had miscalculated the distance of Gasly’s pit‑lane entry, a factor that meant he had not actually broken the speed limit. The ICA accepted this "significant and relevant new element" and reinstated Gasly to his original third‑place finish.
McLaren and Red Bull, however, were not satisfied with that outcome. They lodged an appeal with the FIA’s International Court of Appeal, and a hearing was held in Paris on August 25. The appeal argued that the original decision to restore Gasly was flawed and that the penalties should stand. The court ultimately sided with the appellants, re‑imposing the penalties and sending Gasly back to seventh place.
It is worth noting that other drivers – Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes’ George Russell (whose penalty was later converted into a drive‑through), and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri – also received the same pit‑lane speeding sanction during the race. Because they had already served their penalties on track, those sanctions could not be retroactively applied, which created an uneven situation that the appeal sought to correct. Following the ICA’s ruling, the FIA released a statement acknowledging that the incident highlighted shortcomings in the current timing and penalty‑assessment systems. The governing body announced a comprehensive review of the Formula 1 timing methodology, the procedures surrounding the right‑to‑review, and the overall appeal process.
The FIA emphasized its support for the stewarding system, noting that stewards operate in a different environment from the courts, with limited access to extensive legal counsel and evidence. Nevertheless, the organization affirmed its commitment to continuous improvement and professional development for its stewards.
Alpine responded with a statement expressing disappointment and frustration. The team reiterated its belief that Gasly had not exceeded the pit‑lane speed limit at any point, but it also acknowledged the ICA’s decision.
Alpine stressed that, despite the setback, the team remains focused on improving performance and staying competitive in a tightly contested championship battle. The points implications are significant.
Alpine, which had been three points behind Racing Bulls in the fight for fifth place in the Constructors' Championship, now finds itself 16 points adrift after losing the podium points. Conversely, Red Bull celebrated the reinstatement of Hadjar, marking his first podium for the team and adding three valuable points to both his and the team’s season totals. Team principal Laurent Mekies highlighted the broader importance of a consistent and transparent enforcement regime, stating that drivers should not have to question the validity of speed‑limit checks after a race.
Looking ahead, Formula 1 moves to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix, Ferrari’s home event, where the championship narrative will continue to evolve. Fans can watch the race live on Sky Sports F1 or stream via NOW, with flexible subscription options available. The Monaco incident underscores the complexities of modern motorsport regulation, where split‑second decisions, advanced telemetry, and legal procedures intersect.
As the sport pushes toward greater technical sophistication, the governing bodies face increasing pressure to ensure that penalty systems are both accurate and perceived as fair by teams, drivers, and supporters alike. The outcome of the appeal serves as a reminder that the appeal process can dramatically reshape race results, affect championship standings, and influence team morale, reinforcing the need for clear, reliable, and transparent adjudication mechanisms in Formula 1.