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Red Bull and McLaren bring their appeal to the FIA International Court of Appeal in Paris today, challenging the decision to reinstate Pierre Gasly's podium finish at the Monaco Grand Prix. Two months after the race, the classification could be overturned for a second time, costing Gasly third place and handing it back to Isack Hadjar or Oscar Piastri. Both teams argue the stewards should never have accepted Alpine's right to review.
Monaco's pitlane speed limit saga began immediately after the June race. A series of minimal speed infractions, many by just 0.1 km/h over the 60 km/h limit, triggered time penalties for multiple drivers. Gasly, who crossed the line third, dropped off the podium. Hadjar moved up to third, Piastri to fourth. Alpine did not accept the penalty. They submitted a right to review, presenting what they claimed was evidence of a flawed measurement system. The stewards agreed, rescinded Gasly's penalty, and restored his podium.
Why Red Bull and McLaren are pushing back
The reversal surprised much of the paddock. If the measurement system was unreliable for Gasly, the logic extended to every other driver penalised that day. Red Bull and McLaren saw it differently. Their drivers had been promoted by the original penalties, then demoted again when Gasly's was overturned. Both teams filed an appeal with the International Court of Appeal, not contesting the original penalties themselves but the procedural decision to reopen Gasly's case at all. They want the post-race classification, before Alpine's intervention, reinstated.
Closed doors at the FIA headquarters
The hearing begins at 09:00 CET at the FIA headquarters in Paris. It will not be open to media or public, a departure from standard protocol. FIA regulations state that International Court of Appeal hearings are public by default, with exceptions made only for budget cap cases. In this instance, the FIA confirmed that one of the parties requested a closed session, a provision allowed under the rules. The decision will be published once available.
What happens next
A verdict could arrive as soon as tomorrow, potentially rewriting the Monaco result for a second time. Red Bull and McLaren face a difficult task. The additional evidence Alpine provided during the right to review process was evidently persuasive enough to sway the stewards in June. Whether the Court of Appeal judges the procedural bar for accepting that review was met correctly will determine the outcome. If the appeal succeeds, Gasly loses his podium again. If it fails, the June reversal stands, and two top teams walk away with nothing.
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I. Hadjar
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