Mercedes withdraw Monaco Grand Prix appeal over Pierre Gasly podium
Mercedes have formally withdrawn their request for a right of review into the Monaco Grand Prix classification following the controversial reinstatement of Pierre Gasly to the podium.
The Brackley-based team originally sought to challenge the governing body’s decision to overturn time penalties handed to the Alpine driver for speeding in the pit lane.
Gasly had initially finished third but was demoted to seventh after having 10 seconds added to his race time for failing to serve two separate five-second sanctions.
However, the French outfit successfully argued that the official pit lane measurement in Monte Carlo was mathematically incorrect, rendering the speeding sensors inaccurate.
Russell penalty prompts initial review
The subsequent reversal of those sanctions frustrated Mercedes, who saw their own driver George Russell severely punished during the same chaotic race.
The British racer dropped out of podium contention and finished down in 12th place after receiving a costly drive-through penalty for improperly serving his own five-second speeding sanction.
Team principal Toto Wolff had previously admitted during the Spanish Grand Prix that any attempt to alter the Monaco classification was a desperate measure.
“To be honest, I’m not sure if this is a realistic outcome because you open up a can of worms.”
The Austrian executive acknowledged that while they felt obligated to pursue the matter to regain lost championship points, overturning the established results remained highly unlikely.
Rivals pursue alternative appeal routes
While the Silver Arrows have abandoned their immediate right of review, the wider dispute surrounding the Monaco results is far from over.
Both McLaren and Red Bull have opted for a different legal avenue by submitting formal protests directly to the FIA International Court of Appeal.
An independent panel is now scheduled to convene in Paris to review their respective cases against the reinstated third-place finish.
For now, the official race classification stands, leaving the Enstone squad with a valuable haul of points amid a fiercely competitive Constructors’ Championship battle.
