Mercedes is consulting with its lawyers about George Russell’s penalty from the Monaco Grand Prix following the stewards’ decision to overturn Pierre Gasly’s penalty.
Russell and Gasly were each handed five‑second time penalties for alleged pit lane speeding during the race, along with three other drivers. Alpine successfully appealed Gasly’s penalty today, prompting Mercedes to reassess Russell’s situation.
The stewards concluded Gasly’s penalty was incorrect because the timekeepers had measured the pit lane length improperly. That finding raised questions about the validity of the other penalties issued in Monaco, but because only Gasly served his penalty after the race, his was the only one that could be rescinded.
Russell’s case is more complicated. After he was initially penalised he stopped again in his pit box, at which point he was required to serve the penalty. He did not do so and was subsequently given a drive‑through penalty.
Although Russell’s later penalty cost him a points finish, the cancellation of Gasly’s penalties elevated Gasly back to third place. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said he believes Russell might have finished in the same region without the penalty, but expressed doubts about winning any legal challenge.
“Talk is definitely going forward, but we also need to look at it,” Wolff said at the FIA press conference before second practice at the Circuit de Catalunya. “I just left when we were on the phone with our lawyers to look at what can we do for George.
“A drive‑through, if it didn’t happen at the end, is equivalent to 20 seconds of race time. What would 20 seconds race time have meant for his result?”
Wolff added that while Mercedes is realistic about their chances of overturning the result, they will pursue any viable avenue. “Do we think that we realistically have a position, a chance of reverting the result? I don’t think so. But we definitely have to give it a go if we see that there is a millimetre of chance to do so and bring him back to whatever it was – P4 [or] P3.”
The circumstances on race day were confused. Mercedes had instructed Russell not to pit again, but during a Safety Car period several drivers were suddenly told to drive through the pit lane. Russell saw tyres prepared at the Mercedes pit box and pulled in.
“It was a very unfortunate situation,” Wolff said. “Clearly we can all learn from that because that wasn’t something that just came up on Sunday, that suddenly 10 cars were in breach of pit lane speeding. It’s something that was flagged before.
“For us as a team, and especially for George, it has massive implications. He had a difficult qualifying session, but he moved all the way back up there, and clearly without the penalty, without us not serving it correctly, it would have been a totally different outcome for his race.
“Whether he would have made the podium or just not is a different question, but a different outcome would have had an impact on his championship situation. And that’s why it’s unfortunate.”
McLaren and Red Bull, whose points were affected when Gasly’s penalties were rescinded, have informed the FIA they intend to appeal. Mercedes did not send a representative to Gasly’s hearing and Wolff said Mercedes will not appeal that decision, but they are examining options specifically related to Russell’s penalty.
“We are assessing, as we speak, what the Gasly situation does for George. Obviously there are certain timing restraints. We wouldn’t appeal the Gasly result, certainly, but we would like the FIA to look at what could be the remedies for George’s race.
“I think we are having some timing limitations and some other legal constraints, but definitely we have a reason to be annoyed. And I wish we could have had those conversations before the race on Sunday.”
Mercedes’ review underlines how a procedural error in timing can have far‑reaching consequences for teams and drivers. While the Gasly outcome clarified at least one incorrect penalty, other affected drivers and teams are left seeking clarity and, where possible, redress for what happened at Monaco.