McLaren has confirmed that it has “formally lodged a notification of appeal” with the FIA international court after Alpine’s successful Formula 1 Right to Review over the Pierre Gasly’s lost Monaco Grand Prix podium.
Alpine, which had lost its third-place via Gasly due to two time penalties, were successful in their action, after it was revealed that timing system errors contributed to Gasly being noted for pit lane speeding.
The evidence provided by Formula One Management [FOM], which controls the timing system, showed that a number of drivers were also wrongly docked for supposed excesses of the principality circuit’s limit.
It was then decided that Gasly would be handed back his third-place finish, which had been initially given to Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar.
Oscar Piastri was one of the drivers to be penalised, costing him the third place, too, having served his penalty before the end of the race.
Over the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix weekend, Motorsport Week understood that both the Woking-based squad and Red Bull would lodge a formal appeal, with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff confirming he had spoken to the team’s lawyers about George Russell’s penalty, which saw him finish out of the points.
McLaren statement in full
In a statement released to media, including Motorsport Week, McLaren said: “McLaren Racing can confirm that it has formally lodged a notification of appeal with the FIA International Court of Appeal regarding the following decisions related to the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix: Stewards Document 99; Revised Final Race Classification Document 100; Revised Championship Points Document 101.
“While we fully respect the FIA’s judicial processes and the role of the Stewards, we believe this case raises important questions concerning sporting fairness, regulatory consistency and the integrity of competition.
“Throughout the Monaco Grand Prix weekend – and in every event – all teams operated according to the regulations and established standard practices for what concerns the speed limit in the pit lane as they were applied at the time. Competitors adjusted their procedures accordingly and, where required, accepted and served penalties imposed under those regulations.
“In our view, the subsequent removal of penalties creates a situation in which some competitors are disadvantaged by having acted in accordance with the rules and the Stewards’ decisions. Such an outcome risks creating sporting inequity and undermining confidence in the consistent application of the FIA Sporting Regulations.
“Our decision to appeal is not directed at any competitor. Rather, it reflects our belief that the Championship benefits from regulations that are applied consistently, transparently and fairly to all participants.
“McLaren remains committed to working constructively with the FIA, Formula One and fellow competitors to protect the integrity of the sport and maintain confidence in its regulatory framework.”
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