Drama over Monaco GP verdict: Briatore angers McLaren team principal Stella

The FIA appeal ruling, handed down following the hearing in Paris, did not go in Alpine’s favour. The judges concluded that the waiving of Pierre Gasly’s two 5-second penalties was unlawful and ensured that the Frenchman was made to serve them after all. As a result, he slipped back from third to seventh place in the Grand Prix standings. Isack Hadjar, whose Red Bull Racing team had joined forces with McLaren to challenge the cancellation of the time penalties, can now celebrate regaining third place.

The penalties had originally been waived for Gasly because he had been the victim of a measurement error. His team was able to prove that he had not exceeded the speed limit in the Monte Carlo pit lane at any point during the race. The only problem was that other drivers had also been penalised for alleged speed limit offences, but were unable to appeal because they had already served their penalties.

The ruling from Paris did not go down well with Alpine’s special adviser, Flavio Briatore. The Italian stated at the FIA press conference: “I think this is very unfair. We accept the decision, but what was very strange was: there were four judges on the panel, and one of them behaved like a prosecutor. There were four judges, and this one was really acting as a prosecutor against the FIA, against us, against the FOM.” He was referring to Judge Filippo Marchino and insinuated that the latter was biased in favour of McLaren.

Strong words from McLaren team principal Andrea Stella

“Later on, we found out why this bloke was so nasty. It’s very much to do with McLaren. We’ve got a lovely photo of this bloke giving a speech for McLaren at MSO Beverly Hills in 2018. He has a charity called the One Drop Foundation, and McLaren donated two or three cars to it – that was rather unfair,” Briatore continued, adding: “We accepted the decision and everything, but it’s rather odd to have a bloke on the bench who has ties to a team. That’s unfair; judges are normally supposed to be completely independent.”

This drew the ire of McLaren team principal Andrea Stella. “I think this press conference is taking a direction that is rather insulting to McLaren – to the reputation of a team that deserves great respect. And when someone makes such allegations, which seem rather serious, they must take responsibility for what they say in a public forum. The hearing, the entire proceedings before the International Court of Appeal, were conducted to the highest standards, and we should not be calling this case into question in the way that has happened so far,” the engineer emphasised.

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