Andrea Stella has publicly accused Alpine’s senior figure Flavio Briatore of insulting McLaren by suggesting that a judge on the FIA International Court of Appeal had a personal connection to the team. The controversy erupted after the appeal court announced on Friday that the penalties imposed on Alpine driver Pierre Gas Ly during the Monaco Grand Prix in June would be reinstated, following a successful challenge by McLaren and Red Bull. Gas Ly originally crossed the finish line in third place at Monaco, but two five‑second penalties for exceeding the pit‑lane speed limit were applied, dropping him down the order. Alpine exercised its right‑to‑review, and the stewards withdrew the penalties five days later, temporarily promoting Gas Ly to a podium finish.
The appeal court’s decision to restore the sanctions pushes Gas Ly back to seventh in the official results, elevates Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar to third, and sees McLaren’s Oscar Piastri move up to fourth. During the Italian Grand Prix press conference – a session that also featured Alpine’s executive adviser Briatore and McLaren team principal Stella – the two men clashed in a dramatic exchange. Alpine issued a brief statement shortly after the court’s ruling, expressing disappointment but also acknowledging the panel’s decision from the recent hearing in Paris.
Briatore, however, adopted a more confrontational tone a few hours later. He alleged that one of the four judges on the panel had a "working relationship" with McLaren, describing the situation as "very unfair" while still accepting the outcome. He singled out the third judge, claiming the individual behaved more like a prosecutor than an impartial arbitrator. Briatore cited a 2018 charity event in California where the judge allegedly posed for a photograph with two McLaren cars, suggesting a conflict of interest.
"We have a nice picture of this guy at the speech for McLaren in 2018," he said, adding that the judge had been "very nasty" to Alpine’s representatives during the hearing. Briatore hinted that Alpine was considering legal action over what he termed an unjust panel composition. The International Court of Appeal responded on Saturday, acknowledging public concerns about the independence of its judges. The court emphasized that the appointment of judges follows FIA statutes, the IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest, and rigorous confidentiality and independence requirements.
Judges are elected by the FIA General Assembly, often after nominations from at least five F1 teams, and must disclose any interests annually to the FIA Compliance Officer. Each judge signs a declaration of independence for every case, which is provided to the parties involved. The court noted that both parties had the opportunity to raise objections at the start and end of the hearing, and none were raised.
It also highlighted the value of having judges from diverse cultural and geographic backgrounds to ensure a fair and credible process. Sky Sports reported that McLaren maintains there is no link between the team and the judge in question.
Initially, Stella chose not to answer Briatore’s accusations, but later he warned the Alpine executive that making such allegations could have legal repercussions. "I find this conference is turning into an insult to McLaren and to a team that deserves great respect," Stella said.
"Anyone making serious allegations in a public forum must take responsibility for their words." Stella further stressed that McLaren’s primary concern was the integrity of the sport’s rule‑book, not the two points that Oscar Piastri might have gained. "We were worried about sporting equality and fairness, which matters to all teams, not just McLaren," he explained.
He reminded listeners that the hearing involved representatives from every team, underscoring the broader significance of clarifying how the regulations are applied consistently across the calendar. Alpine’s right‑to‑review case succeeded because the team presented new evidence showing a miscalculation of the distance in the pit lane, proving that Gas Ly had not actually exceeded the speed limit.
By contrast, Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes’ George Russell (whose penalty was later converted into a drive‑through), and McLaren’s Piastri had all served similar speeding penalties during the race, meaning those sanctions could not be retroactively removed. The fallout from the dispute adds another layer of intrigue to the upcoming Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Ferrari’s home race.
Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming options available via NOW. The weekend schedule includes F3 and F2 support races, a Porsche Supercup event, and the main Formula 1 qualifying and race sessions.
As the teams line up at the historic Monza circuit, the broader debate about judicial independence, sporting fairness, and the proper handling of penalties remains a hot topic within the paddock, illustrating how off‑track legal battles can be just as consequential as the on‑track battles for podiums and points.