McLaren want answers over Gasly's reinstated podium: 'We have already lodged an intention to appeal'

Shortly after the news broke that Gasly had been reinstated on the Monaco podium, McLaren confirmed to GPblog its intention to appeal the stewards' decision to the International Court of Appeal, while Red Bull plans to follow the same course of action.

Speaking to GPblog in Barcelona, Stella described the situation as an extremely complicated one, pointing to the inconsistency created by some drivers having already served their penalties during the race while others ultimately had theirs overturned: "The situation whereby cars that received a penalty served the penalty in the race, some other cars didn't, and then we find ourselves in a condition that some of the cars that didn't have the penalty removed is a very difficult case."

The McLaren team principal confirmed that the team has formally lodged an intention to appeal and will now use the available time to decide whether to proceed with the process. However, Stella was reluctant to discuss the matter in greater detail, stressing that the case remains highly complex and that McLaren is still evaluating its options.

Speaking to GPblog among others after qualifying in Barcelona, Piastri admitted he was stunned by the decision to overturn Gasly's penalty, arguing that it was difficult to understand how one sanction could be reversed when other drivers had already served penalties for similar offences in previous races. The Australian suggested the ruling could have implications far beyond Monaco, given that several past results may have been affected by comparable incidents.

He also pointed out that, while he personally lost a position as a result of the revised classification, Russell could feel even more aggrieved after serving his own penalty during the race. In his view, the situation has created significant confusion over what the final order should be and raised questions about how similar cases will be handled going forward.

The McLaren driver further warned that the decision risks setting an awkward precedent, whereby teams may be incentivised to challenge penalties after races rather than serving them immediately. Overall, Piastri described the situation as a messy and difficult one for the stewards to resolve, admitting he was left genuinely perplexed by the outcome.