McLaren and Red Bull are contesting the cancellation of a penalty imposed on Pierre Gasly in Monaco. The FIA will review their appeal on August 25 in Paris.
The FIA has set the date for the hearing regarding the appeals filed by McLaren and Red Bull following the revision of penalties imposed on Pierre Gasly during the Monaco Grand Prix.
Both teams will be heard on Tuesday, August 25 at 9:00 AM in Paris, two days after the Dutch Grand Prix. The hearing will be held behind closed doors, with no access for the public or media.
McLaren and Red Bull are seeking to have the five-second penalty initially imposed on the Alpine driver in Monte Carlo reinstated. Its cancellation had allowed Gasly to regain his third place.
A measurement error at the origin of the case
Gasly was among five drivers penalized for exceeding the 60 km/h speed limit in the pit lane in Monaco. Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Franco Colapinto, and Oscar Piastri had also received five-second penalties.
However, Alpine exercised its right to review the two penalties imposed on its driver. The examination of the case then revealed an error in the measurement of the length of the pit lane used by the timekeeper.
The average speed had been determined based on a calculation using speed, distance, and time, rather than from a measurement taken at a specific point at the pit lane entry or exit.
This information was considered a “new and relevant” element, a necessary condition for a right of review to be accepted. Moreover, it was not available to the stewards when they made their initial decision on the Sunday of the Grand Prix.
Gasly had regained his podium
Pierre Gasly had received two five-second penalties during the race. He served one during a pit stop, while the second was added to his total time after the finish.
This last penalty had initially dropped him from third to seventh place in the final classification.
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Its cancellation following Alpine’s right of review had significant consequences on the Grand Prix result. Gasly regained the third step on the podium, while Isack Hadjar was demoted to fourth place.
Oscar Piastri moved up to fifth and Liam Lawson to sixth.
This change directly explains Red Bull and McLaren’s interest in the procedure. Both teams specifically contest decisions No. 1 and No. 2 listed in document 99 of the Monaco Grand Prix, which led to the cancellation of Gasly’s penalty and his return to the podium.
Mercedes had also studied its options
Mercedes was also indirectly concerned by the discovery of the measurement error.
George Russell had received a five-second penalty for the same infraction. However, the Briton served his penalty incorrectly by allowing his team to work on his car before the expiration of the five-second regulation.
This error automatically resulted in a heavier penalty in the form of a drive-through. Russell served it after the red flag at the end of the race and ultimately finished 12th.
After the announcement of the decision regarding Gasly, Toto Wolff indicated that Mercedes was studying the different options available. The German team ultimately chose not to initiate proceedings.
Verdict expected after the Dutch Grand Prix
Red Bull and McLaren, however, officially filed their appeal on June 16.
The next step will therefore take place on August 25 before the FIA in Paris. Both teams will try to convince the body to reinstate the five-second penalty canceled after the right of review obtained by Alpine.
The stakes go beyond Gasly’s case alone since any modification of the decision could again disrupt the Monaco Grand Prix classification and redistribute points among Alpine, Red Bull, McLaren, and Racing Bulls.
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