Pierre Gasly’s Monaco Grand Prix heartbreak has been transformed into a massive celebration. Less than a week after leaving the streets of Monte Carlo believing a career-defining result had slipped through his fingers, the Frenchman has been officially restored to third place following a successful Right of Review launched by Alpine.
The dramatic reversal of fortune brings a chaotic end to a post-race saga that completely overshadowed what was one of Alpine’s strongest performances of the season.
Gasly’s drive on the streets of Monte Carlo was a masterclass in persistence. After starting ninth on the grid, he expertly navigated a chaotic afternoon shaped by a red flag and two Safety Car interventions. By the closing stages, he inherited third place when Mercedes’ George Russell was hit with a late drive-through penalty.
Stewards Rulings
However, the post-race celebrations were instantly cut short:
-
The Original Ruling: The FIA stewards hit Gasly with two separate five-second penalties for alleged pit-lane speeding infringements.
-
The Demotion: The combined 10-second punishment brutally dropped Gasly from 3rd to 7th in the final classification, stripping him of his first podium of the campaign.
-
The Appeal: Convinced of their driver’s innocence, Alpine gambled on the FIA’s strict Right of Review process at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
On Friday morning at the 2026 Barcelona Grand Prix, the FIA confirmed that Alpine had successfully presented “new, significant, and relevant” evidence that proved a system error had occurred. As a result, both five-second penalties were completely rescinded.
Alpine Welcomes FIA Transparency
Following the verdict, Alpine released a statement expressing gratitude for the governing body’s willingness to correct the mistake:
“We welcome the decision made by the FIA to deem our Right of Review as admissible following the final classification of last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix. As a result, the Stewards have rescinded the two five-second penalties imposed on Car #10, which reinstates the team’s third-place finish.
“We would like to thank the FIA and Formula One Management for its transparency and co-operation throughout the Right of Review process and for reaching this decision.”
The FIA’s dramatic U-turn has triggered a major reshuffle through the midfield order. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar, who had inherited the final podium trophy following Gasly’s demotion, officially loses his top-three status and drops back to fourth. Additionally, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and the Racing Bulls duo of Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad each drop by one position in the revised standings.
While Gasly missed out on the physical champagne showering on Sunday, Alpine’s persistence has for now ensured that history will accurately reflect a standout drive. The trophy that slipped away has officially returned to Enstone.
BUT: McLaren Triggers F1 Legal War over “Dangerous Precedent”
The controversy is far from over. Gasly was only able to be reinstated because his penalties were post-race time additions; he did not serve a physical penalty in the pit lane during the race, giving Alpine the legal ground to launch a post-race challenge.
BBC’s Jennie Gow has revealed that McLaren intends to officially lodge an appeal against the stewards’ decision today. This appeal will not be heard at the track this weekend, but rather at the FIA headquarters in Paris ahead of the next race weekend.
Sources within Woking suggest McLaren believes the stewards have set a dangerous precedent. They fear this decision will actively encourage teams to ignore or fiercely dispute in-race penalties, gambling on a post-race Right of Review after the chequered flag has fallen. It would not be a good look for Formula 1 to consistently revise its race results hours or days after the podium ceremonies conclude.
The George Russell Paradox: Did Mercedes Miss a Trick?
In Monaco, Mercedes could well have instructed George Russell to disregard his drive-through penalty after the race resumed following a red flag. Russell restarted the grand prix in third place, and despite trying to back up the pack to create a pit-window gap for himself, serving the drive-through cost him any chance of scoring points.
Mercedes missed a technical trick by telling Russell to serve his drive-through after two racing laps, when regulations allow a three-lap window. However, had the Silver Arrows told their driver to completely ignore the penalty, he would have crossed the line in third.
The championship contender lost 15 vital points from a stewards’ decision that was actually rooted in the exact same argument Alpine employed: the FIA sensor was in the wrong place, and Russell had not actually been speeding.Because he served it on track, Mercedes has no legal recourse to get those points back.
Paddock Rumours and Historical Redux
Paddock rumours suggest Mercedes did not attend Gasly’s hearing in Barcelona, but the rest of the grid sent representatives to hear the stewards’ explanation. In modern F1, successful post-race appeals are incredibly rare because marshal loops are usually accurate to within a single millimetre. It is unlikely teams will suddenly flood the FIA with appeals, as these reversals usually rely on highly unique, complex electronic glitches.
We saw a similar scenario at the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso finished third on the road but was slapped with a 10-second penalty because a rear jack touched his car while he was serving an earlier penalty—which the FIA classified as “working on the car.”
Aston Martin launched a swift Right of Review, bringing video evidence from seven previous team pit stops to prove that jacks touching a car had been routinely permitted without penalty. The FIA rescinded the penalty and restored Alonso’s 100th podium. However, the regulations were strictly altered the following year to ensure absolutely nothing could touch a car during a penalty window.
All in all, George Russell might feel incredibly sore that his Mercedes pit wall wasn’t quicker in its tactical thinking during the Monaco Grand Prix. As the field rolls out in Barcelona this weekend, we may see teams testing and arguing the stewards’ track-limits and overtaking decisions more aggressively than ever before.
Would you like to see more TJ13 Formula 1 coverage? Add us to your favourites list on Google to receive trusted F1 news.
A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
