The podium positions at the Monaco Grand Prix were significantly influenced by pit lane speeding penalties, with the decisive factor being the 60kph speed limit in the Monte Carlo pit lane. Several drivers received penalties for exceeding this limit, leading to significant changes in the final standings.

Alpine has formally requested a right of review from the FIA regarding the penalties issued for pit lane speeding during the race. This request follows their driver, Pierre Gasly, being demoted from a podium finish due to two separate five-second penalties for the same offence. These penalties caused him to drop from third at the chequered flag to seventh position.

Gasly expressed his disappointment after the race, stating he was “heartbroken” and urging the FIA to investigate the situation. He maintained that he had activated his pit limiter well before the designated line on both occasions and that his team had set the correct speed in the car. He highlighted the loss of nine points and a podium finish, emphasising the effort involved in achieving such a result.

Driver Penalties and Reactions

Gasly was not the only driver affected by these penalties. Mercedes driver George Russell also had his race impacted by a pit lane speeding penalty. Despite receiving a penalty during his first pit stop, Russell was initially on course for a fourth-place finish. However, a late Safety Car incident, triggered by Lance Stroll crashing, led to further complications for Russell.

Under the Safety Car, Mercedes brought Russell in for a pit stop. Mechanics began changing tyres immediately, rather than observing the rule of not touching the car for the first five seconds. This resulted in a more severe drive-through penalty for Russell, which he had to serve within three laps. Consequently, he dropped out of the points after the standing restart, continuing a challenging period that has seen him fall 68 points behind his team-mate Kimi Antonelli in the standings.

Russell, similar to Gasly, questioned the FIA’s pit lane technology, suggesting there might be a problem with the software. He stated that he was on the pit limiter before the line and released it after, yet still received a penalty. He argued that the drive-through penalty, which saw him drop from third to fourteenth, was disproportionate to the offence, especially given a potential software glitch.

During the red flag period that followed Charles Leclerc’s crash at the initial Safety Car restart, Russell reportedly visited the stewards to request a less harsh punishment. He explained his willingness to serve a five-second penalty on the subsequent lap, noting a 20-second gap to Gasly behind him. He believed he gained only a minimal amount of time due to the alleged software glitch but lost 12 positions as a result.

Lewis Hamilton was another driver penalised for pit lane speeding. He asserted that he was not exceeding the speed limit, attributing the issue to the pit lane’s configuration and the line drivers take. Hamilton noted that he had used the same pit lane for years and activated his pit lane limiter immediately. He expressed surprise at receiving a penalty, suggesting that many drivers might not have been genuinely speeding.

Impact and Future Steps

Hamilton’s penalty initially seemed set to cost him second place to his team-mate Charles Leclerc. However, Ferrari’s decision to pit both their cars simultaneously under the Safety Car allowed Hamilton to serve his penalty without losing position to Leclerc. Leclerc, reportedly frustrated by this decision, subsequently crashed during the rolling restart, leaving Hamilton to secure second place.

Pit lane speeding infringements are relatively uncommon in Formula 1, with only five penalties issued over the first five rounds of the season, and only three of these occurring during races. The events at Monaco highlight the critical impact of even slight deviations from the pit lane speed limit on race outcomes.

Alpine’s request for a right of review means they will need to present new evidence to the FIA that was not available when the stewards made their initial decision to secure a further hearing. The next race on the calendar is the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

Source: formula1.com

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