From the result of the Monaco Grand Prix being overturned again to Flavio Briatore making an explosive allegation against McLaren as a result of Pierre Gasly losing his podium, here are the biggest Formula 1 stories of today, 4 September. Monaco Grand Prix result overturned again
The FIA International Court of Appeal
has ruled on the appeal brought by Red Bull and McLaren against the stewards' decision to remove Pierre Gasly's time penalties from the Monaco Grand Prix.
The verdict has gone in favour of both teams, meaning Isack Hadjar has once again been awarded the podium position.
The controversy stems from the Monaco Grand Prix, where Gasly was given two five-second penalties which initially saw him drop from third to seventh in the final classification. Alpine then submitted a Right of Review, with the stewards ruling on 12 June that both penalties should be removed and Gasly's original result restored.
McLaren and Red Bull subsequently appealed that decision to the International Court of Appeal. The court has now ruled in their favour, reinstating Gasly's two five-second penalties and overturning the stewards' 12 June decision.
As a result, the official race classification and championship points have been amended, with Gasly returning to seventh place and Hadjar once again taking the podium.
Pierre Gasly has lost his Monaco Grand Prix podium after the latest ruling
Flavio Briatore makes McLaren allegations
Alpine Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore has
criticised the outcome of the appeal and raised questions about the independence of one of the judges involved in the International Court of Appeal hearing.
Speaking during the press conference in Monza, Briatore described the decision as unfair, although he acknowledged that Alpine would accept the verdict.
His main concerns focused on one of the four judges involved in the case, whom he claimed had links to McLaren and behaved more like a prosecutor during the proceedings.
“I think it's very unfair, first of all, but we accept the decision. What is very strange was the fourth judge in the panel, and one of the judges acted like a prosecutor. For this, (it's) not a big problem. The problem is, it's very linked with the McLaren company, because we have a nice picture of this guy at the speech for the McLaren in 2018 in MSO Beverly Hills.
“He made a foundation, it's called One Drop Foundation. And McLaren gave (it) two or three McLaren cars. And I think this was quite unfair (that) one of the judges was linked with a team with protesting us.”
Briatore named the judge as Filippo Marchino and argued that members of the panel should be entirely independent. He also repeated his criticism of Marchino's conduct during the hearing, claiming the judge had taken an adversarial approach towards Alpine.
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella
responded to Briatore's comments, rejecting the suggestion that the appeal process was compromised and defending the integrity of the International Court of Appeal.
“I find that this conference is going in this direction quite insulting for McLaren, for the reputation of a team that deserves a lot of respect. And if anybody makes these kind of allegations, which seem quite serious, they are gonna have to take the responsibility for what they are saying in a public forum.
“The hearing, the whole International Court of Appeal was conducted to the highest standards. And we should not question this phase like it's been done.”