FIA Court hears appeal over Monaco GP penalty controversy

The FIA International Court of Appeal is meeting in Paris to resolve a major controversy stemming from the Monaco Grand Prix. The dispute centers on the decision to overturn pit-lane speeding penalties originally issued to Alpine driver Pierre Gasly.

During the race, Gasly was handed two five-second penalties, which dropped him from third to seventh place. However, Alpine successfully filed a Right of Review, presenting evidence that the measurement tool used to verify pit lane speeds was inaccurate by 77 centimeters. Following this, the stewards rescinded the penalties and reinstated Gasly to his third-place podium position.

This reversal has prompted appeals from McLaren and Red Bull. McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella stated the team is pursuing a ‘double intent’ at the hearing. The first objective is to ensure regulatory consistency and fairness for all competitors, as other drivers, such as Oscar Piastri, served their penalties during the race and cannot recover the lost time. The second objective is to address the material impact on McLaren, which lost championship points due to the inconsistent application of the rules.