BREAKING NEWS ALPINE’S PIERRE GASLY DOCKED MONACO PODIUM FOR 2….Read more in comment

BREAKING NEWS  ALPINE’S PIERRE GASLY DOCKED MONACO PODIUM FOR 2….Read more in comment

      Pierre Gasly has lost his Monaco Grand Prix podium for the second time, 89 days after the June 7 race. The FIA’s International Court of Appeal upheld appeals from McLaren and Red Bull on Friday, reinstating the two five-second penalties given to Gasly for pit-lane speeding. As a result, the Alpine driver drops from third back to seventh in the official Monaco result. That promotes Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar back to third for his second career podium and first since joining Red Bull, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri moving to fourth and Racing Bulls pair Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad to fifth and sixth.

    The drama began immediately after Monaco when Gasly was hit with two 10-second penalties for entering the pits 0.1 km/h and 0.4 km/h over the 60 km/h limit. Alpine successfully protested a week later, arguing the FIA’s timing system used an inaccurate pit-lane distance and overestimated speed. Stewards accepted the “significant and relevant new element” and rescinded the penalties, restoring Gasly to third. McLaren and Red Bull then took the case to the ICA, with a hearing held in Paris on August 25. In a 26-page ruling, the court threw out Alpine’s review and ordered the original penalties to stand.

   Alpine responded with frustration, saying it “expresses its disappointment and frustration” and still maintains “Car 10 did not exceed the Pit Lane speed limit at any point”. The team called the outcome an “unjust punishment” but vowed to stay focused on a tight constructors’ fight. The swing is costly: Alpine loses nine points and drops behind Racing Bulls in the battle for fifth, with the two teams now separated by just three points. The FIA said it will review the timing methodology and judicial processes following the case.