Formula 1: Liam Lawson loses Monaco fifth place after Pierre Gasly penalty overturned

Liam Lawson has lost his career-best equalling fifth-place finish from last week’s Monaco Grand Prix, after a penalty on Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was overturned.

Gasly, 30, had crossed the line third, but was relegated to seventh after stewards enforced two separate five-second time penalties for speeding in the pit lane.

The Frenchman had maintained his innocence, and after his team backed him with a “right of review”, the FIA – motorsport’s governing body – rescinded Gasly’s penalties, and restored his podium finish.

The FIA found that the pit lane was shorter than thought by 77cm, with multiple drivers also penalised during the course of the 78-lap race for speeding. No other teams had appealed the way that Alpine did, though.

As a result, Gasly’s points haul from Monaco increases from six to 15, while Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, and Lawson all move down one place after finishing third, fourth and fifth respectively.

What’s more, Gasly has also leapfrogged Lawson in the driver’s championship to sit eighth, after also passing Hadjar in the standings. While the pair had been tied on 26 points, Lawson claimed ninth after taking a better result in the most recent race.

The result now sees Azerbaijan 2025 remain Lawson’s best result in Formula One, where he finished fifth.

Lawson now sits 10th in the championship on 22 points, four points clear of Haas’ Ollie Bearman in 11th.

“We welcome the decision made by the FIA to deem our Right of Review as admissible following the final classification of last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix,” Alpine said in a statement.

“As a result, the Stewards have rescinded the two five-second penalties imposed on Car #10, which reinstates the team’s third-place finish.

“We would like to thank the FIA and Formula One Management for its transparency and co-operation throughout the Right of Review process and for reaching this decision.

“The team’s focus is now very much on this weekend’s Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix and striving for the best possible result with both of its cars.”

Lawson will have the chance to overtake Gasly in the standings over the coming days, as Formula One’s Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix begins on Friday night (NZT).

Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.