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Red Bull Racing has declined to hand over Isack Hadjar's third-place trophy from Monaco to Alpine, following the reversal of Pierre Gasly's time penalties last weekend. The withheld trophy marks an unusual breach of paddock protocol and signals the Austrian team's discontent with the FIA stewards' decision to reinstate Gasly to the podium. Alpine team principal Flavio Briatore has described the move as unsportsmanlike, while Red Bull maintains it is "in the process" of transferring the hardware.
The Gasly penalty saga has dominated F1 discourse for over a week. At the Monaco Grand Prix, an unusually high number of time penalties were issued for pitlane speeding infractions. Gasly initially lost third place due to two separate penalties, prompting Alpine to request a right to review. The team argued that the FIA's speed measurement system had malfunctioned. To the surprise of much of the paddock, the stewards accepted Alpine's evidence and reinstated Gasly to the podium, stripping Hadjar of the position he had celebrated on race day.
According to The Race, Red Bull has not yet handed over the third-place trophy to Alpine, breaking with the informal tradition of teams privately exchanging hardware when results are amended. The whereabouts of the trophy remain unclear. Red Bull has not confirmed whether the trophy travelled with the team to Barcelona for this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix or remains elsewhere. A team representative told The Race only that the handover process is underway, without specifying a timeline.
Looming protests behind the delay
Red Bull's reluctance to surrender the trophy almost certainly reflects wider anger over the FIA's handling of the Monaco pitlane saga. Multiple teams have questioned the stewards' decision to overturn Gasly's penalties, with Red Bull and McLaren both considering formal protests. The controversy centres on Formula One Management's acknowledgement that errors occurred with the speed detection equipment used in Monaco's pitlane, raising questions about the validity of all penalties issued that weekend.
Mercedes has separately lodged its own right to review request. The German manufacturer was also penalised for pitlane speeding in Monaco and argues it is entitled to the same relief granted to Alpine. If successful, Mercedes' appeal could trigger a cascading reassessment of the entire race classification, further complicating the championship order and making Red Bull's current stance on the trophy appear prescient rather than petulant.
Alpine accuses Red Bull of poor sportsmanship
Sky Sports pit-lane reporter Ted Kravitz confirmed this morning that Alpine is unhappy with Red Bull's refusal to complete the trophy handover. Briatore, known for his combative approach to team management, has reportedly taken personal offence at what he views as deliberate disrespect from the Milton Keynes squad. The Italian has framed the delay as poor sportsmanship, though Red Bull's perspective appears to be that premature surrender of the trophy would validate a flawed FIA process.
The standoff over a piece of silverware may seem trivial, but it underscores the depth of frustration within the paddock over inconsistent officiating and technical failures. While Gasly currently holds third place in the Monaco results, the outcome remains provisional pending resolution of the outstanding protests and reviews. Red Bull's decision to withhold the trophy until that process concludes reflects a calculated bet that the FIA's decision will not stand. Whether that gamble proves correct will determine whether this episode is remembered as shrewd pragmatism or stubborn defiance
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