Alpine has demanded that Formula 1 and the FIA amend regulations to prevent a repeat of the penalty situation that cost Pierre Gasly his Monaco Grand Prix podium. The call comes after Gasly was officially demoted to seventh place, nearly three months after the race.
The FIA’s International Court of Appeal reinstated two five-second penalties for Gasly following a successful counter-appeal by Red Bull and McLaren. This final ruling overturned a previous stewards’ decision that had restored Gasly’s third-place finish.
Alpine’s Managing Director, Steve Nielsen, expressed disappointment with the final verdict. He stressed the team’s focus is now on ensuring such a complex and prolonged dispute does not happen again, suggesting that only minor changes to the regulations are needed.
The issue originated when Gasly, who finished third on the track in Monaco, received a 10-second penalty for two instances of speeding in the pit lane. As he did not serve the penalty during the race, it was added to his time, dropping him to seventh.
Alpine successfully argued for a Right of Review, presenting evidence that the official timing loop measurement was incorrect. It was found that the distance used for the speed calculation was 77cm shorter than the actual track, causing false readings.
The stewards initially accepted this new evidence and rescinded Gasly’s penalties on June 12, reinstating his podium. However, Red Bull and McLaren appealed this reversal to the FIA’s International Court of Appeal.
Their argument centered on sporting fairness, as other drivers, including McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, had served similar penalties during the race. There is no mechanism in the rules to reverse a penalty once it has been served on track.
The Court of Appeal sided with Red Bull and McLaren, ruling that Gasly’s penalties must stand to ensure consistent application of the rules for all competitors. The final decision was made public on September 4.
This officially moves Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar up to third place, securing his first podium. Oscar Piastri, Liam Lawson, and Arvid Lindblad are promoted to fourth, fifth, and sixth respectively, with Gasly classified seventh.
‘We were confident that with the backing of the official timekeeper in the FIA, in fact, that Car 10 was not speeding. That’s also our view that Car 10 was not speeding. However, the review panel has reached a different conclusion.’
Nielsen described the situation as “tremendously simple, but fantastically complex at the same time,” a scenario he suggested only Formula 1 could create. Alpine released a statement expressing frustration, maintaining Gasly did not exceed the speed limit.
