Briatore accuses FIA judge of McLaren ties after Alpine loses Monaco podium

Press conference confrontation at Monza

Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore and McLaren team principal Andrea Stella engaged in an open dispute during the official FIA press conference on Friday ahead of the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. Briatore, whose lifetime Formula One ban for manipulating the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix was previously overturned, arrived at the media session carrying an A4 sheet of paper to challenge an International Court of Appeal verdict delivered earlier that week. The ruling had stripped Alpine driver Pierre Gasly of his third-place podium from the Monaco Grand Prix in June following protests lodged by McLaren and Red Bull. Facing international broadcasters, Briatore directed accusations against one of the four judges on the appellate panel, alleging a conflict of interest in favor of McLaren. Stella responded immediately beside him, defending the integrity of the sporting tribunal and the reputation of the Woking-based team.

Allegations against appeal judge Filippo Marchino

Briatore focused his criticism on American-Italian lawyer Filippo Marchino, claiming the judge behaved aggressively throughout the late August appeal hearing. The Alpine executive asserted that Marchino had past ties to the British constructor through its McLaren Special Operations division, pointing to a photograph from a 2018 event in Beverly Hills where Marchino gave a speech. Briatore also stated that McLaren had supplied two or three cars to the One Drop Foundation, an international non-profit organisation where Marchino serves as a director. While stating that Alpine accepted the verdict on paper, Briatore argued that the presence of an affiliated judge compromised the independence of the judicial process. He added that Alpine's legal team had been unaware of Marchino's background prior to the hearing and indicated that the team was evaluating potential further legal steps.

The judge normally needs to be independent completely. Filippo Marchino is a judge and he was very nasty during the hearing. And afterwards we found out why this guy was so nasty, he is linked with McLaren.

Stella defends verdict and warns of legal accountability

Stella firmly rejected Briatore's claims, describing the insinuations as insulting, disrespectful, and damaging to McLaren's standing. Addressing journalists in the media room, the McLaren team principal stated that anyone making such severe allegations in a public setting would be required to assume full responsibility for their statements. Stella defended the International Court of Appeal, asserting that the panel operated under the highest legal and sporting standards during the proceedings. He noted that all Formula One teams had attended the hearing because the dispute involved the broader application of Article 1.1.1 of the International Sporting Code. Stella emphasized that McLaren pursued the appeal to protect sporting fairness and regulatory consistency rather than solely targeting two additional championship points.

For the reputation of a team that deserves a lot of respect, if someone makes allegations of this kind, which seem quite serious, they will have to take responsibility for what they say in a public forum.

Monaco timing dispute and championship point shifts

The controversy stems from the Monaco Grand Prix in June, when Gasly crossed the finish line in third place but received two separate five-second penalties for speeding at the pit lane entry. Four other drivers received similar sanctions during the race due to issues with the timing loops managed by Formula One Management. Alpine initially secured a successful Right of Review because Gasly had not served the time penalties during the race, overturning the punishment on the grounds of faulty speed measurement. McLaren and Red Bull subsequently contested the reversal before the FIA International Court of Appeal, leading to the multi-month legal process that concluded before Monza. The appellate decision restored the penalties, dropping Gasly back to seventh place while reinstating Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar in third and elevating McLaren driver Oscar Piastri to fourth.