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 Mercedes had, but has since withdrawn.
"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."
