Formula 1 Barcelona-Catalunya GP
Martin Brundle warns Monaco GP penalty saga has "no easy solution"
Martin Brundle has branded the Monaco GP pitlane penalty saga and Pierre Gasly’s reinstated podium as “a mess with no easy solution” amid ongoing appeals from rival teams
Lydia Mee
Published: Jun 18, 2026, 9:33 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Martin Brundle, Sky Sports F1
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
Former Formula 1 driver and Sky Sports analyst Martin Brundle has branded the handling of the Monaco Grand Prix pitlane penalties and Pierre Gasly's reinstated podium "a mess with no easy solution".
Writing in his regular post-race column following the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, which saw Lewis Hamilton secure his maiden grand prix victory for Ferrari, Brundle commented on the Monaco penalty situation.
Several drivers were handed penalties during the Monaco Grand Prix for speeding in the pitlane. While the majority of those drivers served the penalties during the race, Gasly, who finished third on the road, had the time added after the chequered flag and lost the podium as a result.
Alpine lodged a right of review, which was ultimately successful after the French team was able to provide evidence clearing Gasly that was not available to the stewards at the time. Gasly's podium was subsequently reinstated ahead of the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.
McLaren and Red Bull, whose drivers either served their penalties during the race or were affected by the reinstated podium, have now begun the appeals process. Mercedes had, but has since withdrawn.
Martin Brundle
Photo by: James Sutton / Motorsport Images
"That's a very complicated and uncomfortable decision," Brundle wrote of Gasly's reinstated podium. "Other drivers in Monaco had served their penalties and adjusted strategies accordingly, and Russell's race was destroyed, but because they were not post-race penalties nothing was changed for them retrospectively in the results.
"This will now be appealed by Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull who all lost out. Ferrari are not too bothered as it cost Mercedes and McLaren points. This also sets a precedent of not serving marginal in-race penalties to preserve the right to contest them post-race.
"It's all a mess with no easy solution. It turns out one of the timing loops in the Monaco pit lane was 77cm shorter than calibrated hence lots of 60.1kph recordings when the limit was 60kph."
He concluded: "Lessons will be learned no doubt and the story will presumably run a while."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Mercedes withdraws George Russell Monaco penalty review request
Next article Ferrari told to prioritise Lewis Hamilton for chance at 2026 F1 title
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Lydia Mee
Laurent Mekies credited with ending Red Bull's second seat "curse"
Formula 1
Formula 1
Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Laurent Mekies credited with ending Red Bull's second seat "curse"
Guenther Steiner jokes Christian Horner Ferrari talk is good book publicity
Formula 1
Formula 1
Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Guenther Steiner jokes Christian Horner Ferrari talk is good book publicity
Kimi Antonelli has "spooked himself" amid F1 title pressure, says Naomi Schiff
Formula 1
Formula 1
Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Kimi Antonelli has "spooked himself" amid F1 title pressure, says Naomi Schiff
More from
Martin Brundle
McLaren victory leaves 2026 F1 title race "far from over", says Martin Brundle
Formula 1
Formula 1
Hungaroring Pirelli test
McLaren victory leaves 2026 F1 title race "far from over", says Martin Brundle
Martin Brundle praises F1's "lateral thinking" over Malaysia return
Formula 1
Formula 1
Hungarian GP
Martin Brundle praises F1's "lateral thinking" over Malaysia return
Martin Brundle sets major target for Aston Martin's F1 Hungarian GP upgrades
Formula 1
Formula 1
Hungarian GP
Martin Brundle sets major target for Aston Martin's F1 Hungarian GP upgrades
Latest news
MotoGP riders resigned to racing in Qatar despite safety concerns
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
1 h
MotoGP riders resigned to racing in Qatar despite safety concerns
Marc Marquez wary of MotoGP title rival Jorge Martin at Sepang: "Adrenaline is the best painkiller"
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
Marc Marquez wary of MotoGP title rival Jorge Martin at Sepang: "Adrenaline is the best painkiller"
Joan Mir "has a lot of answers" about crash-strewn 2026 MotoGP campaign as he explains illness
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP 2 h
Joan Mir "has a lot of answers" about crash-strewn 2026 MotoGP campaign as he explains illness
Francesco Bagnaia calls Sepang his “best chance” and vows to “risk more”
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
2 h
Francesco Bagnaia calls Sepang his “best chance” and vows to “risk more”
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe