Alpine Formula 1 boss Flavio Briatore has questioned the fairness of the appeal procedure surrounding the Monaco Grand Prix, claiming one of the judges on the FIA International Court of Appeal panel had close links to McLaren.
Key Highlights
- Flavio Briatore questioned the fairness of the FIA’s Monaco GP appeal process
- Pierre Gasly had his two five-second penalties reinstated, dropping him from third to seventh
- Briatore claimed one appeal judge had links to McLaren, prompting a furious response from Andrea Stella
- Oscar Piastri moved from fifth to fourth, gaining two additional championship points after the ruling
Briatore Questions FIA Appeal Process
The controversy began after Pierre Gasly was among several drivers penalised for exceeding the pitlane speed limit in Monaco. The FIA later found that an incorrect FOM measurement had caused the penalties. Gasly initially lost his third-place finish, but Alpine launched a right of review, with the FIA race stewards eventually agreeing to rescind his penalty.
Gasly’s Penalties Reinstated
McLaren and Red Bull appealed that decision, arguing that the other affected drivers had already served their penalties and therefore did not have the same opportunity to have them rescinded. After a lengthy procedure, the FIA’s International Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the appellants, reinstating Gasly’s two five-second penalties.
The decision dropped Gasly to seventh, allowing Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar to reclaim a podium position. Alpine subsequently expressed its “disappointment and frustration” with the ruling.
Briatore Makes McLaren Allegation
Speaking at the FIA’s Italian Grand Prix press conference, Briatore went further by questioning the independence of one of the four judges, Italian-American Filippo Marchino. Briatore claimed Marchino had connections to McLaren, pointing to a 2018 speech for the team at MSO Beverly Hills and links involving his One Drop Foundation, which he said had received McLaren cars.
“I think it's very unfair. We accept the decision, but what is very strange was there were four judges on the panel and one of the judges acted like a prosecutor,” Briatore said. He argued that judges should be completely independent and described it as unfair to have someone on the panel who was allegedly linked to a team involved in the case.
Stella Fires Back at Briatore
Sitting alongside Briatore, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella strongly rejected the accusations. Stella said the comments were “quite insulting” to McLaren and its reputation, adding that anyone making such serious allegations publicly should take responsibility for them.
He also defended the International Court of Appeal, insisting that the hearing had been conducted to the highest standards and should not be questioned in the manner suggested.
McLaren Welcomes Appeal Outcome
The ruling also benefited McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, who moved from fifth to fourth and gained two additional championship points.
Stella said McLaren welcomed the decision because it provided important clarity around the application of Article 1.1.1 of the FIA International Sporting Code. He stressed that McLaren’s appeal was not simply about the potential loss of two points, but about sporting equality, fairness and consistency in how the rules and methodologies are applied during race weekends.
Stella also noted that Red Bull was not the only team involved, with all teams present at the hearing because of its wider significance for the championship.
Briatore’s Controversial F1 History
Briatore returned to F1 in June 2024 as an executive advisor to then-Alpine CEO Luca de Meo. Earlier in his career, he helped guide Benetton and Renault to consecutive world championships with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, respectively.
However, Briatore was later handed a lifetime paddock ban for his role in the 2008 Singapore “Crashgate” scandal. He was implicated in a plot involving Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashing to trigger a safety car and help teammate Alonso win the race.
The FIA overturned Briatore’s lifetime ban in 2010, and he remained a regular paddock presence as a dealmaker before officially returning with Alpine.
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