Stella slams 'insulting' Briatore claims after Monaco ruling

Andrea Stella and Flavio Briatore engaged in a tense war of words at Monza on Friday, after the FIA International Court of Appeal stripped Pierre Gasly of his Monaco podium for a second time. The ruling, which upheld challenges from McLaren and Red Bull, restored Isack Hadjar to third and moved Oscar Piastri back to fourth.

Why it matters:

The clash extends well beyond two championship points. McLaren insists the appeal was about ensuring sporting equality and fairness across the grid, while Alpine's allegations of judicial bias raise uncomfortable questions about the integrity of F1's appeals process.

The details:

• Gasly had originally dropped from third to seventh after pitlane speeding penalties in Monaco, before Alpine used a right of review to have the sanctions overturned when an error was found in FOM's pitlane measurement.
• McLaren and Red Bull appealed, arguing that rivals who served similar penalties during the race could not have them removed retrospectively.
• Briatore's claims: The Alpine executive advisor accepted the ruling but questioned the independence of panel judge Filippo Marchino, citing a 2018 appearance at McLaren's MSO Beverly Hills and the One Drop Foundation's receipt of McLaren cars.
• Stella's response: "I find that this conference is going in a direction that is quite insulting for McLaren," Stella said, warning that anyone making such allegations must "take responsibility" in a public forum.
• Stella stressed the appeal was about "sporting equality and fairness," not the two points Piastri gained by moving from fifth to fourth.

What's next:

Alpine expressed "disappointment and frustration" with the outcome, insisting Gasly did not exceed the pitlane limit and that the team was "unjustly punished." The FIA will review its timing methodology and judicial procedures, including the right of review and appeal processes, in the wake of the case.