Pierre Gasly has promised to continue battling alongside his Alpine team after a controversial FIA decision stripped him of a podium finish at the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix.
The French driver crossed the finish line in third place on the streets of Monte Carlo, appearing to secure one of the biggest results of his recent Formula 1 career. However, post-race penalties dramatically altered the outcome, leaving Gasly frustrated and heartbroken.
Race stewards handed Gasly two separate five-second penalties after determining that he had exceeded the pit-lane speed limit on two occasions during the race. The combined ten-second punishment pushed him down the final classification, dropping him from third to seventh place and costing him a coveted podium finish.
The penalties have sparked significant debate throughout the Formula 1 paddock. Several other drivers, including George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Oscar Piastri, and Gasly’s Alpine teammate Franco Colapinto, were also penalized for pit-lane speeding offences. Reports indicated that some of the recorded infringements were by margins as small as 0.1 km/h, raising questions about the accuracy of the monitoring system and whether a technical issue may have contributed to the unusually high number of penalties.
As a result, Alpine has formally submitted a Right of Review request to the FIA in an effort to challenge the decision. Under FIA regulations, such a request can only be accepted if the team is able to provide new, significant, and relevant evidence that was unavailable when the original ruling was made.
Meanwhile, Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar inherited third place following Gasly’s demotion. Hadjar’s podium position was briefly under threat after he became the subject of a separate FIA investigation, but stewards ultimately cleared him, allowing him to keep the result.
Following the race, Gasly shared an emotional message with fans on social media, expressing his disappointment at seeing a dream result taken away.
The Alpine driver admitted he was devastated by the outcome, explaining that securing a Formula 1 podium—especially at Monaco—had been one of his lifelong ambitions. Gasly said he wanted to remember the moment he crossed the finish line in third place, describing it as the culmination of years of dedication, sacrifice, and hard work from both himself and the team.
He also suggested that the punishment felt unfair and expressed hope that the situation could still be resolved. Gasly made it clear that Alpine intends to pursue every available avenue to have the decision reconsidered.
Despite the setback, the Frenchman remains determined not to give up. With Alpine preparing its appeal and questions continuing to surround the pit-lane speed monitoring process, the Monaco Grand Prix controversy may not yet be over.
For now, Gasly’s official result remains seventh place, but both driver and team are continuing their fight in the hope of restoring what they believe was a hard-earned podium finish.
