Mercedes explains why it withdrew Russell's Monaco GP review
Mercedes has withdrawn its request for an FIA review of the Monaco Grand Prix results, ending its attempt to revisit the penalties that derailed George Russell's race.
The FIA announced the withdrawal on Thursday, with Mercedes confirming the decision on Friday morning. The move follows discussions involving the FIA and Formula One Management (FOM), after which the team concluded that continuing the process would not deliver a meaningful sporting outcome for Russell or Mercedes.
Mercedes Steps Back from Monaco Challenge
Mercedes had lodged its Right of Review after Pierre Gasly's third place was reinstated. Alpine had challenged the Monaco results immediately after the finish and successfully proved that two pitlane speeding penalties issued to Gasly were incorrect. The decisive factor was an admission from FOM, the championship's official timing systems supplier, that the measurements used in Monaco were wrong.
That decision created a wider competitive problem. Four other drivers had been penalised for the same offence during the race, including Russell. For Mercedes, however, the route to a revised result was complicated by the fact Russell also received a drive-through penalty while attempting to serve the original sanction, ultimately finishing outside the top 10.
As previously reported when the FIA accepted Mercedes' review request over Russell's Monaco GP penalty, the hearing had been scheduled for Saturday 20 June before the team chose to abandon the bid.
Wolff's Team Accepts Limited Upside
Toto Wolff had already acknowledged there was little chance of overturning Russell's result, but Mercedes initially moved to protect its position within the limited time available.
Mercedes stated:
"We can confirm that we have withdrawn our Right of Review submission relating to the penalties received and served by George Russell during the Monaco Grand Prix."
The team added:
"Following the decision to rescind Pierre Gasly's time penalty, it was important for us to explore all available options to address the impact of George's pitlane speeding penalty on his race result."
Mercedes also explained that the application was made during the Barcelona race weekend because of the restricted window for action. However, subsequent talks made it clear that cancelling Russell's drive-through penalty, or receiving any sporting compensation, was not realistically available.
Monaco Fallout Continues
Mercedes said its discussions with the FIA and Formula One showed a determination to review the unusual circumstances and address the factors behind them. On that basis, it concluded that pursuing the case further would not serve the team or the sport.
The wider Monaco controversy is not finished. Red Bull and McLaren have protested the results, and the matter will now move to the FIA's International Court of Appeal.
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.