Monaco GP penalties fuel driver protests over pit‑lane speed

A series of pit‑lane speeding penalties at the Monaco Grand Prix reshaped the race result and championship standings. Eleven drivers received sanctions, including five‑second penalties for Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Oscar Piastri, Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly, as well as drive‑through and larger time penalties for other infractions.

Hamilton, who finished second, said the five‑second penalty for a 0.1 km/h excess was “incomprehensible” and called for an FIA investigation, suggesting a possible flaw in the speed‑measurement system at the circuit’s pit‑lane entry. The FIA later acknowledged that the issue likely stemmed from drivers’ trajectories rather than a technical fault, noting that most excesses were well below 1 km/h.

George Russell blamed a software glitch for his initial penalty and the subsequent failure to serve it correctly, which cost him points and a strong finish. Pierre Gasly’s two penalties denied him a podium, prompting Alpine to request a review. The penalties also affected Sergio Pérez, Lance Stroll and Nico Hülkenberg, influencing both drivers’ and constructors’ championship positions.