Mercedes have formally requested a right of review from Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, following the fallout from a pit-lane speed limit controversy at the Monaco Grand Prix.
The move comes after Alpine successfully overturned penalties handed to Pierre Gasly, resulting in the French driver being reinstated to third place. Gasly had originally been demoted to seventh after receiving two five-second penalties for allegedly exceeding the pit-lane speed limit during the race.
However, a review hearing determined that officials had used an incorrect distance when calculating pit-lane speeds. Because speed is measured by the time taken to travel a specified section of the pit lane, the error led to several drivers being wrongly judged to have exceeded the 60km/h limit.
The FIA’s findings revealed that five drivers were affected by the miscalculation, including Mercedes driver George Russell. Russell had initially been running third before being penalised for pit-lane speeding. A subsequent drive-through penalty for incorrectly serving that sanction dropped him to 12th place at the finish.
The result dealt a significant blow to Russell’s championship campaign, costing him 15 points in the standings against team-mate Kimi Antonelli, who went on to win the Monaco race.
Under Formula 1 regulations, a right of review can only be granted if a team presents significant new evidence that was unavailable when the original decision was made. Alpine met that requirement in Gasly’s case, leading to the reversal of his penalties.
Mercedes now argue that the discovery of the incorrect pit-lane measurement, along with the FIA’s decision to overturn Gasly’s sanctions, constitutes new evidence worthy of a fresh review of Russell’s case.
Team principal Toto Wolff admitted the challenge may be difficult but said Mercedes felt obliged to pursue every available option.
“We simply want to have a seat at the table when these decisions are discussed,” Wolff said. He later acknowledged that the team’s chances of success were slim, but added that pursuing the review was important on Russell’s behalf.
The controversy has also sparked debate elsewhere in the paddock. McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, who lost a position to Gasly after the revised result, said he was stunned by the decision to reinstate the Alpine driver.
The FIA is now expected to consider whether Mercedes’ request meets the criteria required for a formal right of review hearing.