Pierre Gasly has lost his Monaco Grand Prix podium finish after the FIA International Court of Appeal (ICA) upheld appeals brought by McLaren and Red Bull, reinstating two five-second time penalties for pit-lane speeding that had been controversially rescinded by the stewards in June.
The decision, announced by the FIA on September 4 ahead of first practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, means Gasly drops from third back to seventh in the revised classification. Red Bull's Isack Hadjar regains third place, with McLaren's Oscar Piastri promoted to fourth. Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad move up to fifth and sixth respectively.
The Background
During the Monaco Grand Prix on June 7, Gasly's Alpine received two five-second time penalties after the official timing system recorded his pit-lane speeds at 60.4 km/h and 60.5 km/h, exceeding the 60 km/h limit imposed for the circuit's tight pit entry. Four other cars were also penalised, including teammate Franco Colapinto.
Alpine chose not to serve the penalties during the race — which featured a Safety Car period when other penalised cars served theirs — and instead had the time added after the finish, dropping Gasly from third to seventh. Alpine then petitioned for a Right of Review, and on June 12 the stewards rescinded both penalties after a post-race analysis using GNSS data suggested Gasly had not exceeded the limit.
The Appeal
McLaren and Red Bull challenged the stewards' reversal, arguing that the original timing system benchmark could not be retrospectively altered for one competitor. The case was heard by the ICA in Paris on August 25.
The ICA ruled that the 2,692 cm distance parameter entered into the Official Timing System (OTS) for Monaco's pit-entry loop sector remained the applicable common benchmark. The Court found that Alpine's post-race reconstruction was a "best estimate" that could not establish actual travelled distances with centimetric certainty, and that FOM's alternative GNSS-derived distances were generated after the competition and could not displace the official parameter.
"Applying the official distance parameter to those elapsed times produced readings above the 60 km/h limit on both occasions," the ICA stated. "The Court is accordingly comfortably satisfied that Car 10 breached Article B1.6.3a of the F1 Sporting Regulations twice."
Alpine's Response
Alpine expressed "disappointment and frustration" at the ruling, while maintaining that Gasly did not exceed the speed limit. The team confirmed it had returned the third-place trophy to Red Bull's Milton Keynes headquarters and said it was considering whether to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Championship Implications
The revised classification alters championship points for both the drivers' and constructors' standings. The FIA confirmed it is reviewing the methodology and operation of its timing system, as well as the right of review and appeal processes.
Sources
- https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1103484/1/monaco-gp-result-changed-again-after-red-bull-and-mclaren-appeal
- https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/gasly-loses-monaco-podium-as-penalties-reinstated-following-mclaren-and-red-bull-appeal.2DvZIUbpmqhnBSGJuDNjlv
- https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/articles/c4gq26zglpzo
