Pierre Gasly reinstated to Monaco GP podium after FIA overturns pit lane speeding penalties, McLaren and Red Bull lodge appeals
The FIA annulled two five-second penalties against Alpine’s Pierre Gasly on Friday after a timing measurement error was uncovered, restoring his third-place finish. McLaren and Red Bull have signalled they intend to appeal the decision.
The original ruling
Pierre Gasly crossed the line third in the Monaco Grand Prix on 7 June but was hit with two five-second penalties for allegedly exceeding the pit lane speed limit. The sanctions dropped him from third to seventh, denying Alpine a podium finish and promoting Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) to third, Oscar Piastri (McLaren) to fourth and Liam Lawson (RB) to fifth.
Alpine’s right of review
Alpine contested the penalties, submitting new evidence to the stewards. A hearing was held on 11 June, at which Formula 1’s official timekeeper acknowledged a discrepancy in the pit lane speed measurement. The original calculation used a distance of 26.92 metres between timing loops, but subsequent LIDAR scans revealed the true shortest driving line was 26.15 metres — a difference of 77 cm. Once the corrected distance was applied, Gasly’s recorded speeds fell within the limit each time.
The pit lane timing process was consistent all weekend and all teams adjusted their systems accordingly, knowing the speed calculation is not perfect.
Revised classification
On 12 June, the stewards rescinded both penalties and reinstated Gasly in third behind winner Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) and Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari). Hadjar drops to fourth, losing his first podium with Red Bull. Piastri falls to fifth, Lawson to sixth and Arvid Lindblad (RB) to seventh. Gasly’s six recovered points lift him into a tie for 10th in the drivers’ championship with Liam Lawson.
- Gasly finishes third on the road but receives two five-second penalties, dropping him to seventh.
- Alpine presents new timing evidence at a stewards’ hearing.
- FIA annuls penalties, reinstates Gasly to third; McLaren and Red Bull lodge intention to appeal.
Appeals lodged
McLaren and Red Bull notified the FIA of their intention to appeal. McLaren’s sporting director William Courtenay argued that pit lane speed calculations are inherently susceptible to error and that teams must be able to rely on the measurements provided. Red Bull’s Stephen Knowles maintained that all competitors had the same data throughout the weekend and that altering the results afterwards undermines the integrity of the race.
We got it back!! Third place in Monaco!! The last few days have been a rollercoaster of emotions, strange celebrations but most importantly I'm incredibly happy we recovered our result. A huge thank you to my incredible team and all the people who supported us!! Thank you to the FIA and F1 for the transparency in the situation. One to remember!
Wider implications
Lewis Hamilton, Oscar Piastri, George Russell and Franco Colapinto also received pit lane speeding penalties during the Monaco weekend, all in the same zone and just 0.1 km/h over the limit. Those penalties, however, were served in-race or went unchallenged, so the reclassification does not affect them. The episode raises questions about the accuracy of timing infrastructure on street circuits and the balance between fixed regulations and the reality of track evolution.
