Jun.13 (GMM) Formula 1’s Monaco pitlane speeding controversy has escalated again, with several rival teams furious after Pierre Gasly’s lost podium was officially restored.
The FIA admitted on Friday that Alpine driver Gasly should never have received two five-second penalties during the Monaco GP.
After a successful hearing in Barcelona, Gasly was reinstated to P3 – demoting Isack Hadjar, Oscar Piastri, Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad by one position each.
According to Auto Motor und Sport, all six speeding violations recorded during the race occurred in the same faulty timing sector.
“Instead of the correct, shortest possible distance of 26.15 meters, an outdated value of 26.92 meters was used.”
The discrepancy stemmed from Monaco’s revised 2026 pit entry layout.
“All six speeding offenses of the race occurred in that faulty measuring zone,” the report added.
The FIA’s admission has triggered widespread anger throughout the paddock.
According to Speed Week, Red Bull Racing, McLaren and Racing Bulls have all lodged letters of intent while assessing whether a formal challenge is possible.
Representatives from all eleven teams attended the hearing.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was unimpressed.
“I can’t imagine the FIA will change the result now, because there were so many decisions made during the race,” said the Australian.
“But something like that shouldn’t happen in Formula 1.”
Mercedes is also seeking answers after George Russell’s race was heavily compromised. “It wasn’t something that just came up on Sunday, that suddenly 10 cars were in breach of pitlane speeding. It’s something that was flagged before.”
Wolff believes the consequences for Russell were significant.
“For us as a team, and especially for George, massive implications,” he said. “Without the penalty, without us not serving it correctly, it would have been a totally different outcome for his race.”
“We’ve calculated P3 or before.”
However, Wolff admitted a result change for Russell now appears unlikely.
“Do we think that we realistically have a position, a chance of reverting the result? I don’t think so,” he said. “But we definitely have to give it a go if we see that there is a millimetre of chance.”
Alpine CEO Steve Nielsen sympathised with drivers who served penalties during the race and therefore had no avenue for review.
“I guess we’ll never know whether they were actually speeding in the pitlane or not. I’d be angry in their shoes.”
