Mercedes have confirmed they will not pursue their right of review over George Russell’s Monaco GP penalties, drawing a line under one of the most chaotic stewarding controversies of the 2025 season. The team announced on Friday that, following constructive dialogue with the FIA and Formula 1, they believe the governing bodies are genuinely committed to addressing the systemic failures that triggered the whole mess.
George Russell Monaco GP Penalties: What Actually Happened
Russell was among five drivers handed time penalties for allegedly exceeding pit-lane speed limits during the Monaco Grand Prix. However, it subsequently emerged that the measurement system used to calculate entry speeds contained a discrepancy — a revelation that proved pivotal. Alpine seized on that evidence to successfully challenge the penalty handed to Pierre Gasly, which had originally stripped him of a podium finish, demoting him from third to seventh.
Russell’s situation carried additional complications. A miscommunication between Mercedes and the pit wall meant the team failed to execute his pit-lane speeding penalty correctly, resulting in a drive-through being issued mid-race. That drive-through cost him dearly — he tumbled out of the top ten and, crucially, surrendered 25 championship points to teammate and title rival Kimi Antonelli. Those are points that sting in a title fight.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff had made clear during the Spanish Grand Prix weekend that lawyers were involved and all options were on the table. Yet, ultimately, the team stepped back.
Mercedes Draw a Line — But the Fallout Continues
In a statement released Friday, Mercedes said: “Our subsequent collaborative discussion with FIA and Formula 1 has shown their determination to review the unique circumstances arising from the Monaco Grand Prix and to proactively address the factors that caused them. In the face of this clear determination, we have concluded that further pursuit of our Right of Review application will not serve our team or the sport.”
Nevertheless, the saga is far from over for the rest of the paddock. The reversal of Gasly’s penalty created its own controversy — Isack Hadjar of Red Bull had celebrated on the podium on race day before being retroactively dropped to fourth, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri fell from fourth to fifth. Both Red Bull and McLaren have lodged appeals against the FIA’s decision to reinstate Gasly’s result, arguing that their teams had already accounted for potential measurement issues by instructing drivers to exercise extra caution in the pit lane.
Meanwhile, during a red flag period at Monaco, Russell had personally visited race control to request his drive-through be converted into a post-race time penalty — a conversion that would have kept future review options open. The stewards refused. According to BBC Sport, penalties served during a race cannot be overturned after the fact, which is precisely why Mercedes found themselves in such a difficult position from the outset.
The Monaco mess will linger over this season for some time yet — even if Mercedes have finally chosen to move on.
