Mercedes challenge Monaco GP ruling as FIA reviews controversial podium decision

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Mercedes challenge Monaco GP ruling as FIA reviews controversial podium decision

Mercedes have been summoned to attend an FIA hearing this weekend

By Kerry Violet.

Thursday 18 June 2026 21:00

The FIA has called Mercedes to a hearing after the team requested a right of review over the contentious decision that restored Pierre Gasly's Monaco Grand Prix podium finish.

Gasly originally crossed the finish line in third place around the streets of Monte Carlo, but a five-second penalty for exceeding the pit lane speed limit initially dropped the Alpine driver behind the podium positions.

The penalty proved to be part of a wider controversy during the race weekend, with six drivers receiving identical sanctions after marginally exceeding the adjusted 60 km/h pit lane limit, in some cases by as little as 0.1 km/h, sparking debate over the strict enforcement of the rule.

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Gasly was understandably devastated and Red Bull's Isack Hadjar thrilled to pick up his second career podium as a result, but that all changed when the FIA announced nearly a week later that Gasly's penalty had been rescinded, his podium reinstated, and the finishing order of the Monaco GP changed yet again to reflect his P3 finish.

How are Mercedes involved?

Naturally, many of the other drivers then felt they had been unfairly punished, especially Mercedes' George Russell who had been handed a 10 second drive-through penalty as a result of failing to serve the initial speeding penalty correctly.

Mercedes and their team principal Toto Wolff felt that had Russell not had to serve his multiple penalties during the Monaco GP, he could have also finished on the podium.

This has opened up a very wriggly can of worms and both McLaren and Red Bull have now also appealed against the FIA's decision to reverse their penalty decision concerning Gasly.

Wolff told media in Barcelona last time out that he had even contacted Mercedes' lawyers to discuss next steps, and although he didn't feel confident any further changes to the Monaco race result would take place, he felt it necessary to stand up for Russell.

Mercedes to attend FIA hearing meeting over Monaco penalties

In the one week break before the next round in Austria, the FIA have now summoned Mercedes and their team representatives to a meeting regarding their own right of review request over the Gasly decision.

An FIA document released on Wednesday, June 17 read: "The Stewards received a petition for Review under Article 14.1.1 of the FIA International Sporting Code from Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team on Friday 12th June 2026 in respect of the decision of the Stewards of the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, Documents 99, breach of Article B1.6.3a of the FIA F1 Regulations in relation to Car 10 [Gasly].

"The team representative is required to report to the Stewards on Saturday 20th June 2026, at 09:00 CEST in relation to the above. The hearing will be held virtually via video conference, details of which will be provided by separate communication.

"It should be noted that this hearing will be held in two parts. The first part will be to determine the admissibility of the petition then if admissible, determine if there is 'significant and relevant new element which was unavailable to the stewards at the time of the decision concerned.'

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