Mercedes withdraws Right of Review over Russellâs Monaco GP penalty
Mercedes have withdrawn their Right of Review request concerning George Russellâs penalty at the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, bringing an end to their attempt to reopen the stewardsâ decisions from a race that proved costly for the Briton.
Mercedes steps back from Monaco challenge
The Silver Arrows had asked the FIA to review the Monaco Grand Prix results after Russell was penalised for a pit lane speeding infringement during the race. The incident escalated when Russell was then handed a drive-through penalty for failing to properly serve the original speeding penalty.
That sequence had a major sporting consequence. Russell had been in contention for a podium earlier in the race, but the penalties ultimately dropped him out of the points and left him classified 12th. For Mercedes, the review request was therefore not a procedural footnote, but a direct attempt to revisit a decision that transformed Russellâs afternoon.
The teamâs move followed a wider post-race focus on Monacoâs penalty rulings. Alpine had also pursued a Right of Review over Pierre Gaslyâs similar speeding penalty, and that case proved successful, allowing Gasly to reclaim third place. That outcome sharpened attention on Mercedesâ own position, particularly after the FIA had accepted the teamâs request, as covered in our earlier report on the Mercedes review over Russellâs Monaco GP penalty.
FIA informed of withdrawal
Mercedes have now chosen not to continue with the process. In a statement, it was confirmed that the stewards had been informed of the teamâs decision.
âThe Stewards have been informed by Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team that they are withdrawing the petition for Review in respect of the decisions of the Stewards of the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, breach of Article B1.6.3a of the FIA F1 Regulations in relation to Car 63.â
The withdrawal means Russellâs Monaco result stands unchanged, with the Briton remaining outside the points after a race in which he had been positioned to fight far higher up the order.
A costly unresolved outcome
For Mercedes, the practical effect is clear: a potential podium opportunity became a 12th-place finish, and the team has now opted against pushing the matter further through the review mechanism.
The decision also closes one strand of the wider Monaco penalty debate, even if Gaslyâs successful Alpine review had already underlined how significant these post-race procedures can be when the margins around podium finishes and points positions are so fine.
Simone Scanu
Heâs a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.