FIA refutes Alpine chief’s accusations of judge bias in Monaco appeal

The FIA has formally dismissed allegations made by former Formula One magnate Flavio Briatore that the judges hearing the Monaco Grand Prix appeal were not independent. Briatore, who leads the Alpine team, raised the issue during a press conference at the Italian Grand Prix on Friday, after a Paris hearing reinstated the original race result that stripped Alpine driver Pierre Gasly of third place.

Why the dispute matters

The claim strikes at the heart of the sport’s judicial credibility. If a judge were perceived to be linked to a rival team, in this case McLaren, it could fuel doubts about the fairness of race‑result adjudications, potentially affecting team strategies and sponsor confidence. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella responded that the allegations insulted his outfit and defended the integrity of the process.

What the FIA said

In a statement, the governing body said no objections were raised about how the court questioned witnesses or conducted the proceedings. It added that the court is confident in the soundness of the process and the integrity of its judges, reaffirming its commitment to impartiality.

One of the judges act like a prosecutor. This is not a big problem. The problem is he's very linked with McLaren.

Briatore also argued that the judge’s alleged connection to McLaren made the hearing “quite unfair”. The FIA’s response underscores that it sees no breach of protocol and will continue to oversee appeals under its current framework.

Looking ahead

With the Paris decision upheld, Alpine will have to accept the reinstated result and focus on the remaining season. The controversy may prompt the FIA to review its judge‑selection criteria to pre‑empt future accusations, but for now the governing body says the process remains sound. Teams and fans alike will be watching how the sport handles any further challenges to its adjudicative independence.