Pierre Gasly of Alpine saw his podium finish from the June Monaco Grand Prix erased for a second time after the penalties that had been applied to him during the race were reinstated following a successful appeal by McLaren and Red Bull. The reversal means that Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar is once again classified in third place, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri moves back up to fourth on the official results. With the latest ruling, Gasly drops to seventh place.
The two Racing Bulls drivers, Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad, climb into the fifth and sixth positions respectively. The original race, held on 7 June, was won by Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finishing second. Gasly had initially crossed the line in third position, but two five‑second penalties for exceeding the pit‑lane speed limit were applied after the chequered flag, pushing 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). The drivers in bold indicate those whose positions changed after the International Court of Appeal (ICA) decision on 4 September. Alpine initially won a right‑to‑review case five days after the race, presenting new evidence that the stewards had miscalculated the distance in the pit lane.
The team argued that the data showed Gasly had not actually exceeded the speed limit, and the stewards accepted this as a "significant and relevant new element," restoring his third‑place finish. However, McLaren and Red Bull lodged an appeal against Alpine’s reinstatement, taking the matter to the FIA’s International Court of Appeal in Paris on 25 August. The appeal argued that the original penalties were correctly applied and that the new evidence did not overturn the factual basis for the sanctions.
The court ultimately sided with the appeal, reinstating the penalties and returning Gasly to seventh place. It is worth noting that several other drivers – Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes’ George Russell (whose penalty was later converted to a drive‑through) and Oscar Piastri – also received the same pit‑lane speeding penalty during the race. Because they had already served the penalties while the race was in progress, those sanctions could not be retroactively removed.
Following the ICA verdict, the FIA issued a statement acknowledging the decision and indicating that it would review the timing system and related regulatory procedures. The governing body emphasized its support for the stewarding process and the independence of the panels that oversee race incidents. It also highlighted that the court operates in a different environment, with access to extensive legal counsel, arguments, and evidence, which can lead to different outcomes from those reached by race 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 recognized the authority of the ICA’s ruling. Alpine stressed that, despite the setback, the team remains focused on improving performance and staying competitive in a tightly contested championship battle.
The points impact of the decision is 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’s third‑place finish, which marks the French driver’s first podium for the team and adds three valuable points to both the driver’s and the team’s season totals.
Team principal Laurent Mekies commented that consistency in enforcing the speed‑limit rule is essential for the sport’s integrity, noting that while some cars complied, others did not, and a uniform approach is necessary to avoid post‑race controversy. Looking ahead, the Formula 1 calendar moves to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix, Ferrari’s home race, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1.
Fans can stream the coverage via NOW, with flexible subscription options. The ongoing debate over pit‑lane speed enforcement and the appeal process underscores the complexity of modern motorsport governance, where technical data, legal interpretation, and sporting fairness intersect. As teams continue to fine‑tune their strategies and appeal mechanisms, the sport’s regulatory bodies are under pressure to ensure clarity, consistency, and transparency in every decision that can affect race outcomes and championship standings.