Controversial decision sparks uproar: F1 teams feel aggrieved

Hardly had a few dignitaries — including former FIA president Jean Todt — settled onto the familiar press-conference couch for the presentation of a hefty Pirelli book when mobile phones everywhere started buzzing. To say that many eyebrows were raised among the media and Formula 1 teams upon reading that Pierre Gasly had reclaimed his podium spot would be an understatement.

A Formula 1 team principal — who had been listening intently to the on-stage discussion about Pirelli’s 500 Grands Prix and hadn’t checked his phone — was even dumbfounded, he said after being informed of the news by GPblog. “Very surprised, very surprised,” the team boss said, before finally reaching for his phone to call his team for further clarification.

In Formula 1, things happen more often than you’d think possible, and handing Gasly back his third place from Monaco is one such story. The stewards in Barcelona had concluded that the Alpine driver had not been speeding in the pit lane, and therefore should not have been penalized. The time penalty was consequently annulled, which meant the Frenchman replaced Isack Hadjar as the number three in Monte Carlo.

It didn’t take long before McLaren and Red Bull Racing — who saw Oscar Piastri and Hadjar each drop a place — announced their intention to appeal. This was a formal step for now, as it had to be taken within hours of a stewards’ decision. Both teams now have several days to set out the grounds for their appeal in writing.

At Red Bull and McLaren, as well as at George Russell’s Mercedes, the frustration was twofold. First, there was irritation that Alpine served the penalty only after the Grand Prix, while the drivers from the three top teams did so during the race. As a result, they couldn’t file a Right to Review afterward, which now works against them. But there was also annoyance about the affair as a whole, because certain teams had already indicated on Friday that there was an issue in the pit lane.

These teams feel their concerns were ignored. The subsequent admission that there was indeed a problem only reinforces their stance. But it does them no good now, and they feel doubly punished.

It is important to emphasize: no one in the F1 paddock begrudges Alpine and Gasly the third place. There is consensus that someone should not be penalized for something he did not do. But the fact that others did not get a similar opportunity and are now doubly punished does sting.

The matter will continue to simmer in the coming weeks, as McLaren and Red Bull are set to file a protest with the International Court of Appeal (ICA), meaning teams will again be heard and people will have to revisit the case. And yes, it is possible that the result will be adjusted yet again.

Pierre Gasly wasn’t worried about that on Friday afternoon. The Frenchman received a standing ovation from his mechanics in the garage shortly after the announcement, and Red Bull will soon hand over Hadjar’s trophy to Gasly. It is still bittersweet for the Alpine driver that he never physically stood on the Monaco podium, so he missed that unforgettable experience no matter what.