Mercedes drops Russell penalty review as Monaco timekeeping row heads to appeal

Mercedes has abandoned its attempt to overturn George Russell’s Monaco Grand Prix time penalty, with the FIA confirming on Thursday evening that the team withdrew its right of review petition before it could be heard.

Russell was among several drivers penalised for speeding in the pitlane during the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, but it subsequently emerged that a timekeeping error at the Monaco pit entry had been generating false flags. The faulty data left Russell unable to serve his penalty correctly, costing him a podium finish. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri also lost out as a result of the same issue.

The situation was further complicated by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, who did not serve his two time penalties until after the race and initially lost the podium he had inherited. Alpine lodged its own right of review, and stewards rescinded Gasly’s penalties last Friday, reinstating his third-place finish.

With Gasly’s reinstatement confirmed and the timekeeping fault now on the record, Mercedes filed its own review petition on Tuesday in an effort to amend Russell’s classified result. However, team principal Toto Wolff had already acknowledged the bid faced long odds, and the team ultimately chose not to pursue it.

“The Stewards have been informed by Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team that they are withdrawing the petition for Review in respect of the decisions of the Stewards of the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, breach of Article B1.6.3a of the FIA F1 Regulations in relation to Car 63,” the FIA stewards confirmed in their official statement.

The Monaco controversy is not yet fully resolved. Red Bull and McLaren have both appealed against Gasly’s reinstatement, arguing it is inequitable for the Alpine driver to benefit from not serving his penalties when other drivers affected by unjust penalties received no equivalent remedy. That challenge will now be heard by the FIA’s International Court of Appeal.