Pierre Gasly addresses F1 rivals’ feelings of ‘injustice’ in penalty change defence

Pierre Gasly has supported the decision to erase his Monaco Grand
Prix penalties, which initially denied him a podium, but can
«completely understand» why Oscar Piastri and George Russell may
harbour feelings of «injustice» over Alpine’s successful Right of
Review. Team Enstone submitted the petition after the French driver
was dropped from third to seventh at the chequered flag in Monte
Carlo for twice speeding in the pit lane. A problem with the
measurements of the pit lane speed limit timing loops meant that
five drivers were erroneously sanctioned during the 78-lap race,
with the average speed check being taken across a distance later
found to be 77m too short. Other drivers, such as Piastri and
Russell, had already served their subsequent punishments for the
same supposed infraction during the event, which propelled Gasly
into the podium positions. Whilst there were suspicions of an issue
with the pit lane speed limit across the weekend in The
Principality, the frequent infringements during the race led Alpine
to exercise caution, and ultimately not pit the one-time grand prix
winner to serve his 10 seconds’ worth of penalties. This enabled
the French squad to launch the Right of Review process, whilst
McLaren and Mercedes were hamstrung by having already taken Piastri
and Russell’s punishments, as there is no mechanism in the F1
regulations to reverse a served penalty. Now well-trodden ground,
it culminated with Gasly being returned to the rostrum at the
expense of Isack Hadjar, with McLaren and Red Bull now appealing
that outcome. When asked what he would like to see learned from the
situation, Gasly expressed his pleasure at the steps already taken
to correct «unfairly given» sanctions. «I think for the good of the
sport, we don’t want to see what happened again in the future,» the
30-year-old told media, including RacingNews365 . «There was a
mistake made during that weekend, and I think it’s important we all
learn from it. «And at the same time… if a mistake was made and
can be corrected, because it’s been unfairly given for no
wrongdoing — so in that case, in our situation, if you have a
chance to correct it — I think it’s the right thing as a sport to
do it.  «I must say, I was very pleased by the actions and the
outcome of the decision post-race, but obviously, from McLaren,
Oscar, and George’s situation, I completely understand that for
their own performance, I’ve got nothing to do with their results,
but they probably feel some sort of injustice from what’s been done
to them.» Nonetheless, Gasly was keen to underline that if there is
something that can be done about one driver’s situation, then that
should be done regardless of more entangled equivalent
predicaments. The Alpine driver was clear that whatever happens
now, with McLaren and Red Bull’s cases headed to the FIA
International Court of Appeal (ICA), they should be viewed
separately from his team’s successful Right of Review. «But that
has nothing to do with Alpine or our own race, and I think that’s
something they need to sort out on their side,» he added. «But I do
think if you can correct a mistake which was made, it’s the right
way of approaching it to come back on it, and that’s what I’d like
to [continue to] see in the future. Obviously, we don’t [want to]
see this situation, but if eventually a mistake is made, I think
it’s the right way to correct it.»