Mercedes have sought legal advice on Friday while other teams have signalled intent to appeal after the Formula 1 stewards overturned the result of last Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix. Alpine requested a Right of Review into the time penalties given to Pierre Gasly in Monte Carlo which dropped him to seventh from third on the road. He was one of five drivers in total punished for pit lane speeding but Alpine was the only team which challenged the result.
The Right of Review was deemed admissible on Thursday after Formula One Management, as the official timekeeper of the sport, told the stewards there was a discrepancy in the measurements of the pit lane. That was deemed sufficient evidence for a full hearing and, on Friday, the stewards' verdict was that Gasly's penalties be expunged and his finishing position restored to third, meaning a podium and nine more points. No other affected team exercised their Right of Review and the stewards said: 'There is no regulation that gives us the power to undo a served penalty.'
Regardless, Red Bull and McLaren are understood to have both signalled their intent to challenge the verdict and have until Tuesday to submit a full appeal. Gasly's reinstatement to the podium came at the expense of Red Bull's Isack Hadjar who inherited third after his fellow Frenchman's penalty. McLaren were also affected as Oscar Piastri has dropped from fourth to fifth, losing two championship points.
Mercedes could yet go further as Toto Wolff confirmed he has sought legal advice. He told a press conference between yesterday's two practice sessions: 'I just left when we were on the phone with our lawyers to look at what can we do.' Wolff confirmed that Mercedes' grievance is not with Gasly's reinstatement, but the fact that George Russell was another who was given a speeding penalty. After Mercedes failed to serve that correctly, it led to a drive-through penalty which ended the Brit's chances of scoring points.
'We would like the FIA to look at what could be the remedies for George's race,' Wolff said. 'Do we think that we realistically have a position, a chance of reverting the result? I don't think so. But we definitely have to give it a go if we see that there is a millimetre of chance to do so and bring him back to whatever it was before.'
While gutted to have missed out on the podium ceremony last Sunday, Gasly expressed his relief at his result being reinstated. The Alpine driver said: 'I'm extremely happy for the whole team, very proud of the whole team for the way they got that result. Sunday night I felt very low. A lot of mixed emotions - proud of the performance, extremely sad about the whole decision and situation, some injustice in that situation. And I wasn't sure how things would move forward. The team did an amazing job. I'm very proud of F1 and the FIA for the transparency and everyone recognising their responsibilities in that situation.'
