Two five‑second penalties for pit‑lane speeding stripped Pierre Gasly of a third‑place finish at the Monaco Grand Prix, dropping him to seventh and leaving Alpine’s weekend a shadow of its potential.
Alpine Challenges the Penalties
The French driver crossed the line in a podium‑contending position before the stewards flagged him twice for exceeding the 80‑km/h limit while exiting the pit lane. Alpine argues that, according to their own telemetry, the speed was within the prescribed threshold. The team has formally requested a Right of Review from the FIA, hoping to overturn the sanctions before the stewards convene on Thursday ahead of the Barcelona race.
Gasly on the Emotional Toll
In a post‑race interview, Gasly described the decision as the “hardest day” of his Formula One career. He added that the loss was particularly painful because Monaco holds a special place in his mind as a French fan and the circuit rarely offers Alpine a chance to contest podiums. “I want to seize every opportunity when it arrives, even if it’s once a year,” he said.
Preparing for Barcelona amid the Review
Despite the setback, the Alpine driver remains proud of his performance: a strong qualifying session, a launch that overturned Lando Norris, and an early pass of Isack Hadjar. He noted that the weekend’s intensity and the emotional aftermath required several days of reflection before refocusing on the upcoming Barcelona race. Alpine’s challenge will hinge on presenting new evidence to the FIA stewards that was unavailable during the Monaco event.
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