McLaren appeal against Gasly penalty reversal after Monaco Grand Prix

By Oliver Harrington — 16 June 2026 — 4 min read

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McLaren’s appeal and concerns over fairness

McLaren have lodged an appeal against the decision to overturn Alpine driver Pierre Gasly’s pit-lane speeding penalty from the Monaco Grand Prix. The appeal follows Alpine’s successful review, which saw Gasly reinstated to third place after initially being demoted to seventh. This reinstatement affected other drivers, including McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who was demoted from fourth to fifth.

In a statement, McLaren expressed concerns regarding “sporting fairness, regulatory consistency and the integrity of competition.” The team highlighted that all competitors operated according to the regulations and standard practices for pit-lane speed limits as they were applied at the time. They argue that the subsequent removal of penalties disadvantages those who complied with the rules and the stewards’ initial decisions.

McLaren’s appeal is not directed at any specific competitor but aims to ensure that regulations are applied consistently, transparently, and fairly to all participants. The team has formally submitted a notification of appeal to the FIA International Court of Appeal, which is the governing body’s highest legal authority.

Impact on other drivers and teams

Gasly’s penalty reversal stemmed from evidence presented by Alpine, indicating that the pit-lane speed limit at Monaco had been miscalculated. The FIA established that the pit lane was measured as being 77 metres longer than the actual drivable distance. As the speed limit is determined by the time taken to cover a certain distance, this led to drivers being incorrectly penalised for speeding when they had not exceeded the 60km/h limit.

Piastri was one of several drivers who received pit-lane speeding penalties and lost positions as a result. He was running behind George Russell in fourth place before the penalties were imposed. After Gasly’s penalty was overturned, Piastri was reclassified to fifth. Piastri commented on the situation, stating that it sets an “awkward precedent” when penalties are changed for some but not others, especially when multiple drivers were affected by the same issue.

Mercedes driver George Russell also suffered due to the incorrect measurement of the pit-lane speed limit. He was in third place when he received a five-second penalty for speeding by 0.1km/h. Despite his pleas to officials during a red-flag period to investigate the matter after the race, he was required to serve the penalty. An error in communication within Mercedes led to Russell failing to serve the penalty at a subsequent pit stop, resulting in a drive-through penalty that demoted him from third to twelfth in the final results. This cost Russell 15 world championship points.

Other drivers penalised for pit-lane speeding included Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Gasly’s team-mate Franco Colapinto. All but one of the penalties were for exceeding the limit by 0.1km/h, with one of Gasly’s penalties being for a 0.4km/h transgression. Ferrari managed to mitigate the impact on Hamilton as his penalty was served during a safety-car period.

Next steps in the appeals process

The decision to expunge Gasly’s penalty also demoted Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar from the podium. Red Bull have not yet handed the third-place trophy to Gasly and are also considering whether to appeal the decision to overturn his penalty. Red Bull and McLaren have both appealed the Monaco Grand Prix result, citing concerns over sporting fairness and the implications of overturning Gasly’s penalties.

Mercedes has also requested a right of review into the results of the Monaco Grand Prix. Their case is expected to be heard first, where they will present new evidence to the original stewards of the race. The incorrect pit-lane measurement and the decision to overturn Gasly’s penalty are anticipated to be central to Mercedes’ argument. However, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff described their right of review as a “long shot,” acknowledging that it could open a complex situation.

The appeals by McLaren and Red Bull will be heard by an independent panel at the FIA International Court of Appeal in Paris. This is an unusual step, as few teams have used Formula 1’s highest appeal body in the sport’s history. The FIA has not yet announced a date for McLaren’s appeal, and the process could take several weeks.