Pierre Gasly's Monaco Grand Prix podium finish stands after Mercedes withdrew its appeal on Friday, just one day after being granted the right to challenge the decision to reinstate the French driver to the podium.
What happened?
Mercedes had been set to meet with the stewards virtually on Saturday at 9am Monaco time to argue its case, but pulled out of the hearing less than 48 hours before it had been due to start. The decision to withdraw clears the way for McLaren and Red Bull Racing to pursue the matter with the FIA International Court of Appeal on a date yet to be fixed.
Why it matters for Pierre Gasly
The decision to uphold Gasly's podium finish is a significant boost for the French driver, who had been at the center of controversy after his two pit lane speeding penalties were overturned by the stewards. The penalties had been deleted after Alpine successfully petitioned the stewards to expunge Gasly's pit lane speeding penalties, citing a measurement error in the pit lane timing loops.
What comes next?
The FIA International Court of Appeal will now consider the matter, with a date yet to be fixed. The court's decision will be a significant one, as it will determine whether Gasly's podium finish is upheld or whether he is stripped of the podium for a second time.
The controversy surrounding Gasly's penalties had been sparked after the stewards noted that they were powerless to undo penalties served during racing. However, Gasly's penalties were deleted because only Alpine appealed the result, and the stewards were able to expunge the penalties due to a measurement error in the pit lane timing loops.
The measurement error resulted in Gasly being clocked slightly above the 60-kilometre-per-hour pit lane speed limit, and the four other drivers who were also pinged for speeding in the pit lane presumably fell foul of the limit for the same reason. However, only Gasly's penalties were deleted because only Alpine appealed the result.
The decision to uphold Gasly's podium finish is a significant one, and it will be a major boost for the French driver as he looks to build on his strong start to the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship.