FIA rejects Briatore's impartiality claims over appeal judge

The FIA has defended its judicial processes after Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore questioned the independence of a judge on its International Court of Appeal panel.

Speaking at the Italian Grand Prix, Briatore claimed ICA judge Filippo Marchino — one of four on the panel that reinstated Pierre Gasly's two five-second penalties from the Monaco GP — had been "very nasty during the hearing" and was "acting as a prosecutor." Briatore added that Marchino was "very linked with McLaren," one of two teams, alongside Red Bull, that had appealed the decision to restore Gasly's podium.

Why it matters:

Gasly's third-place finish at Monaco has now been lost twice — once on race day, and again after the ICA reinstated the penalties Alpine had previously overturned. Briatore's attack on a judge's impartiality cuts to the credibility of F1's judicial system.

The details:

• The FIA did not name Briatore directly but referenced Case ICA-2026-06-07-08-09, brought by McLaren and Red Bull.
• All judges are elected by FIA general assemblies, make annual disclosures of interests, and sign a declaration of independence for each case.
• The ICA has a roster of 36 legal experts, with at least eight shortlisted for each case. This pool is shared with parties in advance to assess conflicts of interest.
• The FIA noted no objections were raised about the proceedings, and no complaint was made during the hearing.

Between the lines:

Briatore's comments, delivered while reading from a prepared statement, signal deep frustration at Alpine. But the FIA's reminder that parties were invited to challenge the panel's composition ahead of time — and none did — weakens the claim of procedural bias.

What's next:

Gasly's Monaco result now stands without a podium, and the spat adds further tension between Alpine and McLaren.