Alpine advance Pierre Gasly penalty appeal after Monaco Grand Prix timing error
Alpine have successfully advanced their Right of Review over two pit-lane speeding penalties handed to Pierre Gasly at the Monaco Grand Prix, raising the prospect of a late change to the final race results.
The French manufacturer cleared a demanding initial threshold with the governing body after providing fresh evidence regarding faulty timing loops in the Monte Carlo pit lane.
Gasly crossed the finish line in third position on Sunday but was relegated to seventh after stewards applied two separate five-second time sanctions.
Both infractions recorded the 28-year-old at less than 0.5kph above the mandatory 60kph limit.
Faulty timing loops provide crucial new evidence
To trigger a formal review, competitors must present significant and relevant new information that was unavailable to race officials at the time of the original decision.
The Enstone-based outfit successfully argued that Formula One Management and the FIA were already aware of systemic issues with the pit-lane timing infrastructure prior to the race.
Crucially, the race stewards themselves had not been informed about these technical discrepancies before penalising drivers during the prestigious street race.
Driver maintains innocence over pit-lane entry
Telemetry data submitted during the hearing confirmed the former AlphaTauri driver had engaged his pit limiter well before crossing the mandatory entry line.
A witness statement detailed how engineers had previously warned him about the timing issues, prompting a deliberate and cautious approach during his pit stops.
The sport’s official timekeepers eventually furnished evidence proving the distance between the measurement loops was inaccurate, resulting in multiple drivers having their speeds overestimated.
Wider grid implications for Monaco standings
The dispute will now progress to a decisive second hearing where team representatives will formally request that the time penalties are completely quashed.
Following the chequered flag last weekend, an incensed Gasly had publicly described the regulatory situation as entirely unfair.
If the original podium finish is restored, the resultant points shift will alter the final Monaco classification and significantly impact rival teams in the constructors’ championship.
