The final result of the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix could still be altered after the FIA officially confirmed that a right-to-review hearing will take place this week regarding the penalties handed to Alpine driver Pierre Gasly.
The hearing is scheduled for Thursday in Barcelona and could have major implications for the race classification, particularly for the battle over the final podium position. Gasly crossed the finish line in third place during a dramatic race around the streets of Monte Carlo, but two separate five-second penalties for alleged pit-lane speeding offences ultimately pushed him down to seventh in the final standings.
Following the race, both Gasly and the Alpine team expressed their disappointment with the decision. The French driver described the outcome as “heartbreaking” and urged the FIA to take another look at the evidence surrounding the penalties that cost him a podium finish.
After reviewing Alpine’s request, the FIA has now granted the team a formal right-to-review hearing. However, the process is not as straightforward as simply overturning the penalties. The hearing in Barcelona represents only the first stage of a two-step procedure.
During Thursday’s session, the race stewards will determine whether Alpine has presented significant and relevant new evidence that was unavailable at the time the original decision was made. According to FIA regulations, a case can only be reopened if such evidence exists and is considered substantial enough to justify a reassessment.
All four of the active stewards involved in the original ruling must agree that the new evidence meets the required threshold. If they decide that the criteria have been satisfied, a second hearing will then be conducted to fully re-examine the circumstances surrounding the pit-lane speeding incidents and determine whether the penalties should remain in place.
The prospect of the race result changing has generated considerable interest throughout the Formula 1 paddock. While several drivers could see minor adjustments to their finishing positions, the biggest impact would be felt in the fight for third place.
Currently, Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar holds the final podium position after inheriting third place due to Gasly’s penalties. The young Frenchman celebrated a career-defining result in Monaco, adding another highlight to an impressive season.
However, Hadjar’s podium finish could be at risk if Alpine succeeds in convincing the stewards that the penalties were incorrectly applied. In that scenario, Gasly would be reinstated to third place, reclaiming the podium finish he achieved on the road. Hadjar would subsequently drop back to fourth position, losing one of the most significant results of his Formula 1 career.
For Gasly, the hearing represents a final opportunity to recover what he believes was unfairly taken away. The Alpine driver produced one of his strongest performances of the season in Monaco, navigating the challenging street circuit and crossing the line among the top three competitors before the time penalties dramatically altered the classification.
The outcome of Thursday’s hearing is therefore being closely watched by teams, drivers and fans alike. Should the stewards determine that no significant new evidence exists, the original result will stand and Hadjar will retain his podium finish. If the case is reopened, however, the Monaco Grand Prix classification could be rewritten days after the chequered flag fell.
With the Formula 1 paddock now gathered in Barcelona for the next round of the championship, attention will briefly shift away from on-track action and toward the FIA hearing room, where an important decision could reshape one of the most controversial results of the 2026 season.
