Mercedes drops Monaco Right of Review: George Russell's P12 finish is final

Mercedes stands down from Monaco review

Mercedes announced on 18 June 2026 that they had withdrawn their Right of Review request over the results of the Monaco Grand Prix. The FIA confirmed the team's decision ahead of a hearing that had been scheduled for Saturday. ^[1]

George Russell had been handed a penalty midway through the Monaco race for a pit-lane speeding infringement, then received a drive-through penalty for failing to properly serve the original sanction, eventually dropping out of the points to 12th after challenging for a podium earlier in the race. ^[1]

The Gasly precedent that prompted the petition

Gasly had crossed the line third in Monaco before being demoted to seventh by post-race penalties, only to be restored to the final podium position after Alpine's Right of Review was accepted. That decision came after the FIA examined data relating to the pit-lane speed calculation, with Formula One Management acknowledging an issue with the measurement used at Monaco. ^[4] The timing loops at the Monaco pit entry were 77 centimetres shorter than the measurements the FIA had used to calculate average pit-lane speeds. ^[2]

With Alpine having sought a Right of Review over Gasly's similar speeding penalty, and with Gasly reclaiming his third-place finish after it proved successful, Mercedes had requested their own Right of Review with the FIA over the Monaco Grand Prix results. ^[1] Mercedes submitted its Right of Review request on Friday 12 June. ^[4] The FIA accepted Mercedes' request and a hearing was scheduled for Saturday. ^[3]

Why Mercedes pulled back

With only a limited window available to submit the request during the Barcelona race weekend, Mercedes chose to proceed in order to preserve its options. However, following discussions with the FIA and Formula One, the team became convinced that the governing bodies were committed to reviewing the unusual circumstances that arose in Monaco and addressing the factors that contributed to them. As a result, Mercedes concluded that continuing to pursue the review would not be in the best interests of either the team or the sport. ^[1] Toto Wolff had already admitted the petition had low chances of succeeding. ^[2]

Confirmation of Mercedes' withdrawal means the team has accepted Russell's P12 result as final. ^[6]

Broader Monaco fallout continues

Red Bull and McLaren have appealed against Gasly's reinstatement, arguing it was unfair for the Frenchman to be rewarded for not serving his penalties while other drivers took the hit during the race. ^[2] McLaren and Red Bull have submitted an appeal with the FIA International Court of Appeal; an independent panel will review their cases in Paris, though a date has not been set. ^[6]

:::analysis The Mercedes withdrawal underlines a fundamental asymmetry in the Right of Review process: a driver who serves a penalty during a race has no practical avenue for restitution once positions have changed hands, while a driver who has not yet served a penalty can benefit from fresh evidence overturning it entirely. That structural gap, rather than any specific team decision, is the lasting regulatory question Monaco 2026 leaves behind. Whether the FIA's promised review of Monaco's timing and pit-lane procedures produces rule changes ahead of future street circuits will define how the sport manages similar controversies going forward. :::

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