MERCEDES WITHDRAWS REVIEW REQUEST OVER GEORGE RUSSELL’S MONACO PENALTY
Mercedes has officially withdrawn its request for a Right of Review regarding George Russell’s penalty from the Monaco Grand Prix, bringing an end to one of the most controversial stories of the 2026 Formula 1 season so far.
Russell’s troubles began after he was penalised for speeding in the pit lane, one of several drivers to receive sanctions for the same offence during the Monaco weekend. However, the situation became much worse during his pit stop when Mercedes incorrectly served the penalty, leading race control to issue an additional drive-through penalty.
The extra punishment proved devastating for Russell’s race. The time lost while serving the drive-through dropped the Mercedes driver out of the points.
The controversy only grew in the days after the race when Alpine successfully appealed the pitlane penalty given to Pierre Gasly. Following a review of the data, the FIA admitted that there had been issues with the pit lane timing system used during the Monaco Grand Prix, resulting in Gasly being reinstated onto the podium several days after the event.
That decision immediately raised questions throughout the paddock. Mercedes believed Russell’s case should also be reconsidered and formally requested a Right of Review from the FIA, hoping the penalties could be reassessed and potentially restore some of the positions lost during the race. The FIA accepted the request and scheduled a hearing to examine the matter further.
However, Mercedes decided not to continue with the process and officially withdrew its request. The decision means the Monaco results will remain unchanged for Russell, who keeps his point-less finish from the race despite the controversy surrounding the pit lane speed measurements and the later reversal of Gasly’s penalties.
Between the Monaco disappointment and his retirement in Canada shortly afterwards, the Mercedes driver lost a significant amount of ground in the championship fight during a crucial stage of the season.
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