Pierre Gasly of Alpine has once again been stripped of the third‑place finish he originally secured at the Monaco Grand Prix in June, after the penalties that had been applied to him were reinstated following a successful appeal by both McLaren and Red Bull. The reversal means that Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar is now back on the podium in third place, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri moves up to fourth. Gasly, meanwhile, drops to seventh in the final classification, with Racing Bulls teammates Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad occupying the fifth and sixth spots respectively. The June 7 race had been won by Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finishing second.
Gasly had crossed the line in third position on the track, but two five‑second penalties for exceeding the pit‑lane speed limit were applied after the chequered flag, initially demoting him down the order. The provisional top ten after the penalties read as follows: 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 in the original report had changed positions after the International Court of Appeal (ICA) decision on September 4. Alpine initially fought the penalties and succeeded in a right‑to‑review hearing five days after the race. The team presented new evidence that the stewards had miscalculated the distance in the pit lane, demonstrating that Gasly had not actually exceeded the speed limit.
The stewards accepted this "significant and relevant new element" and restored Gasly to his original third‑place finish. However, McLaren and Red Bull lodged an appeal against Alpine’s successful review, taking the case to the FIA’s International Court of Appeal. The appeal was heard in Paris on August 25, and the ICA ultimately decided to reinstate the original penalties, thereby returning Gasly to seventh place and promoting Hadjar to the podium. It is worth noting that other drivers – Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes’ George Russell (whose penalty was later converted to a drive‑through), and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri – were also flagged for the same pit‑lane speeding infraction.
Unlike Gasly, they had already served their penalties during the race, and those sanctions could not be retroactively removed. Following the ICA verdict, the FIA issued a statement indicating that it would review the timing system used in Formula 1 as well as the related regulatory framework. The governing body also pledged to examine the procedural aspects of the right‑to‑review and appeal mechanisms, emphasizing its support for the independence and objectivity of the stewarding panels that oversee race incidents.
The FIA explained that stewards operate in a different environment from the Court of Appeal, which has access to extensive legal counsel, arguments, and additional evidence. It added that stewards continuously refine their processes through professional development and that every ICA decision is carefully scrutinised to promote ongoing improvement. Alpine released its own statement shortly after the ruling, expressing disappointment and frustration with the outcome. The team reiterated its belief that car #10 never exceeded the pit‑lane speed limit, but it also acknowledged the ICA’s decision.
Alpine emphasized that, despite the setback, the team remains focused on improving performance and staying competitive in the championship battle. The points implications are significant. Alpine had been only three points behind Racing Bulls in the fight for fifth place in the Constructors' Championship, but the reversal now leaves them 16 points adrift. Conversely, Red Bull welcomed the reinstatement of Hadjar’s podium finish, noting that it marks the French driver’s first podium for the team and adds three valuable points to both the team’s and the driver’s season totals.
Team principal Laurent Mekies highlighted the importance of consistency in enforcing speed‑limit rules, stating that teams should not have to question the validity of penalties after a race. Looking ahead, Formula 1 moves to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix, Ferrari’s home race, where the championship narrative will continue to evolve. Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming options available through NOW without a long‑term contract.
The ongoing debate over pit‑lane speed enforcement and the appeal process underscores the sport’s commitment to fairness, but also illustrates the complexities that arise when technical regulations intersect with high‑stakes competition.