FIA decides on Gasly podium: The Monaco case goes far beyond third place

– About two months after the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, the FIA, the world governing body for motorsport, has set the date for the appeal hearing by McLaren and Red Bull against the retroactive reinstatement of third place to Pierre Gasly: The case will be heard on August 25, 2026, before the FIA Court of Appeal.

Read more Isack Hadjar is out: Yuki Tsunoda makes surprising Formula 1 comeback

It is not only about whether Gasly is allowed to remain third, but also about sporting fairness towards the drivers who could not appeal after the Monaco race because they had already served their penalties during the race.

What the Gasly case is exactly about

But first things first: Gasly finished third in Monaco. However, he initially lost the podium place due to two time penalties he received for speeding in the pit lane.

Alpine was convinced that Gasly had not been speeding. Therefore, the team decided against serving the penalties during a pit stop and instead lodged an appeal against the stewards’ decision.

Alpine later won this appeal – but not based on the data presented by the team. Rather, Formula 1 Management (FOM), responsible for the official timing system, found a discrepancy between the actual distance covered and the distance assumed by the system used for speed measurement.

This discrepancy caused the system to calculate a speed that was too high for the pit lane. Cars that cut the line more sharply at the pit entry were particularly affected. For this reason, the stewards annulled Gasly’s penalties and thus restored his podium place earned on track.

Gasly gets his position back, but …

The problem is: While Gasly’s penalties were retroactively removed, other drivers had already served comparable penalties during the race. In their cases, the situation could no longer be reversed. Because there is no mechanism for that.

This caused criticism among the rival teams. Specifically, McLaren and Red Bull decided to appeal the stewards’ decision in the Gasly case.

Read more 40 million for an electric car: Who buys this crazy Ferrari?

Red Bull has a direct sporting interest: If the FIA Court of Appeal upholds the appeal, Isack Hadjar could benefit. He had initially moved up to third place before Gasly’s penalties were lifted. (Photo gallery: The biggest Formula 1 scandals)

Photo gallery: The biggest Formula 1 scandals

For McLaren, however, the matter goes beyond just the distribution of points. The team is primarily concerned with clarifying the questions raised regarding sporting fairness, the consistent application of the regulations, and the integrity of the process.

These doubts are understandable: Gasly’s penalties were removed, but those of other drivers were not – even though the timing system error was present throughout the weekend.

How McLaren explains its stance on the Gasly case

McLaren stated: “In our view, the retroactive removal of the penalties creates a situation where some participants are disadvantaged because they acted in accordance with the rules and the decisions of the stewards. Such a result carries the risk of sporting inequality and could undermine confidence in the consistent application of the FIA sporting regulations.”

McLaren further explained: “Our decision to appeal is not directed against any particular competitor. Rather, it reflects our belief that the championship benefits from rules that are applied uniformly, transparently, and fairly to all participants.”

“McLaren will continue to work constructively with the FIA, Formula 1, and the other participants to protect the integrity of the sport and maintain confidence in its regulatory framework.”

At its core, the issue is about defining what sporting fairness specifically means in such a situation and how a clear legal framework can be created for comparable cases. This is exactly what the FIA Court of Appeal must decide next Tuesday.

Read more Gasly case: Date set for Monaco appeal by Red Bull and McLaren