McLaren and Red Bull file appeal notices after Gasly's Monaco podium reinstated

McLaren and Red Bull have lodged formal notices of intent to appeal the FIA stewards’ decision to reinstate Pierre Gasly’s third-place finish at the Monaco Grand Prix, buying themselves a 96-hour window to examine the ruling before deciding whether to pursue a full challenge.

Gasly had originally been stripped of his podium after receiving two five-second time penalties at the end of last Sunday’s race for separate speeding violations in the pitlane. On Friday, however, FIA stewards reversed those penalties following a right of review hearing, after evidence submitted by FOM — the body responsible for F1 timekeeping — revealed a discrepancy in how pitlane entry speeds were measured at Monaco’s unusually configured pitlane. Four other drivers were also found to have been incorrectly penalised.

Both McLaren and Red Bull had argued against amending the results at the hearing. Red Bull sporting director Stephen Knowles, representing Isack Hadjar — the driver who has now lost third place to Gasly — contended that the pitlane timing process was consistent throughout the weekend and that teams had adjusted their own systems accordingly, accepting that the speed calculation is not precise. Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu echoed that view, noting that the large majority of the 22-car grid navigated the race without incurring any speeding violations.

McLaren’s Will Courtenay took a similar position, even though his own driver Oscar Piastri was among those penalised. Piastri was also moved down one place in the final classification when Gasly was reinstated, meaning McLaren’s stance was not without cost to the team itself.

Under article 15.4 of the FIA’s International Sporting Code, competitors had one hour from the stewards’ decision to file a notice of intent to appeal. Doing so does not constitute a formal appeal — it simply preserves the right to lodge one. McLaren and Red Bull now have 96 hours to study the decision and the relevant regulations before determining whether sufficient grounds exist to proceed.