The FIA has issued a formal response after Flavio Briatore publicly questioned the impartiality of one of the judges involved in the appeal that stripped Pierre Gasly of his Monaco Grand Prix podium. The Alpine executive adviser alleged during the Italian Grand Prix weekend that judge Filippo Marchino had links to McLaren, prompting the governing body to defend the independence and integrity of its International Court of Appeal.
The controversy erupted after the FIA International Court of Appeal ruled in favour of McLaren and Red Bull over the conclusion of the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix. The decision reinstated Pierre Gasly’s two five-second penalties, dropping the Alpine driver from third to seventh and returning the final podium position to Isack Hadjar.
Pierre Gasly loses Monaco podium after McLaren and Red Bull appeal
The ruling marked the latest twist in a long-running dispute over Gasly’s Monaco result. The Alpine driver had initially been penalised twice for pit-lane speeding, before the stewards subsequently rescinded those penalties after Alpine requested a review.
McLaren and Red Bull then took the matter to the International Court of Appeal. The case has been followed closely since the Pierre Gasly Monaco podium dispute reached the FIA Court, and the final verdict has now reversed the revised classification.
As a result, Gasly has fallen from third to seventh, while Isack Hadjar has regained the podium position. The decision also affects the championship points awarded to the drivers and teams involved.
Flavio Briatore questions FIA judge’s impartiality
The verdict became one of the biggest talking points of the Monza paddock when Flavio Briatore addressed the issue during Friday’s team representatives’ press conference.
The Alpine executive adviser did not limit his criticism to the legal reasoning behind the decision. Instead, he publicly questioned whether one of the judges, Filippo Marchino, had been sufficiently independent because of what Briatore described as links with McLaren.
“What is unfair is that the judge was connected to McLaren,” Briatore said.
“This is unfair. The judge should normally be completely independent, and this judge, his name is Filippo Marchino.”
“Filippo Marchino is a judge, he was very nasty during the hearing, he was acting like a prosecutor. And then we found out what the reason was why this guy was so nasty. He is very closely linked to McLaren.”
The remarks immediately escalated a sporting dispute into a broader argument over the FIA judicial process and the safeguards designed to ensure the independence of its judges.
Who is FIA judge Filippo Marchino?
Marchino is an Italian lawyer working in the United States who has also competed in rallying during his life. He currently serves as chief executive of the One Drop Foundation, a charitable organisation founded by Cirque du Soleil entrepreneur Guy Laliberté.
Briatore claimed that McLaren had donated “two, three McLarens” to the foundation. Cars were indeed provided in connection with charitable fundraising, although they were reportedly given by the late Mansour Ojjeh, the influential former McLaren Group shareholder, to Laliberté with the aim of raising funds for the foundation through auction. Ojjeh died in 2021.
Briatore also referred to a photograph showing Marchino appearing at a McLaren Special Operations event in Beverly Hills in 2018. The photograph is publicly available through Getty Images. McLaren Special Operations, however, is part of McLaren Automotive rather than the Formula 1 racing operation, making the significance of that connection open to interpretation.
The dispute nevertheless generated an immediate reaction around the paddock, particularly because McLaren was one of the two teams that challenged the decision that had restored Gasly’s third place.
FIA responds to Briatore allegations with formal statement
Within hours of Briatore’s comments, the FIA Courts responded publicly. The governing body stressed that the process for selecting and appointing judges follows established procedures designed to safeguard independence and impartiality.
The FIA statement read:
“The FIA Courts are aware of public comments questioning the independence and impartiality of the judges of the panel that decided Case ICA-2026-06-07-08-09.
“The FIA Courts wish to make clear that the appointment and participation of the judges in that case, like for any other case, were conducted in accordance with the applicable FIA judicial procedures and usual practice, which are inspired by the highest standards such as the IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest in International Arbitration.
“All judges are elected by the FIA General Assemblies; some of them upon proposal of a group composed of at least five F1 teams, in accordance with the FIA Statutes. They are all subject to the independence and confidentiality requirements contained in the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, make annual disclosures of interests to the FIA Compliance Officer, and sign a specific declaration of independence for each particular case, taking into account the issue at stake and the parties involved. That declaration is made available to the parties.
“At both the beginning and the conclusion of the hearing, the parties were invited to raise any issue concerning the proceedings or the composition of the Court. None of the parties did so. No objection was raised during the hearing concerning the manner in which the Court questioned the witness or conducted the proceedings.
“The International Court of Appeal emphasises the importance of constituting panels composed of judges from different cultural and geographical backgrounds. This helps to ensure that deliberations and discussions reflect a diversity of legal traditions, perspectives and approaches, further strengthening the fairness, independence and credibility of the proceedings, as well as the right of access to a fair trial.
“A Court’s decision can leave room for different interpretations and comments regarding its legal merits; that is legitimate and accepted by all the judges. The Court is confident in the soundness of the proceedings and the integrity of its judges. The FIA Courts remain firmly committed to ensuring the independence and impartiality of their judges and the integrity of the judicial process.”
FIA stresses Alpine raised no objection during hearing
One of the most significant parts of the FIA response concerns the opportunity given to the parties to challenge the composition of the Court. According to the governing body, all parties were explicitly invited both before and after the hearing to raise concerns about either the procedure or the judges, but no objection was made.
The FIA also stated that no complaint was raised during the hearing about the way the Court questioned the witness or conducted proceedings.
That point directly addresses Briatore’s description of Marchino as behaving “like a prosecutor”. The FIA’s position is that the process followed its established judicial rules and that the parties had formal opportunities to challenge any perceived problem at the time.
Gasly verdict also affects Alpine’s championship battle
The Monaco ruling has consequences beyond the podium itself. Gasly’s demotion changes both the drivers’ and constructors’ championship points, making the result particularly important for Alpine’s 2026 campaign.
Hadjar, meanwhile, has regained the third place he originally inherited when Gasly’s penalties were first applied after the race. The revised result therefore restores valuable points to the Red Bull driver as the season enters its decisive phase.
The Court’s decision followed the appeals brought by Red Bull and McLaren against the stewards’ June 12 ruling, which had rescinded Gasly’s two five-second penalties. GP-News previously detailed how McLaren and Red Bull succeeded in overturning that decision and restoring the original sanctions.
Briatore-FIA dispute may not be over
For now, the controversy triggered by Briatore’s comments has reached the stage of an official FIA response. The governing body has strongly defended the integrity of its judges and the procedures used by the International Court of Appeal, while Briatore has made clear that his objection concerns what he considers the appearance of a connection between Marchino and McLaren.
Given the seriousness of the comments made publicly at Monza, however, the matter may not necessarily end with the FIA statement. Further repercussions could follow in the coming weeks as the debate over the Monaco decision and the conduct of the appeal continues.
Leave a Reply