Gasly’s Sarcastic Celebration Masks Frustration After Monaco Podium Penalty

Pierre Gasly says he realized he would be stripped of his Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix podium as soon as the race was paused for a late‑stage red flag, yet he still gave a sarcastic on‑track celebration on the cooling‑down lap.

He was among several drivers penalised for exceeding the 60 km/h pit‑lane speed limit, receiving two separate time penalties – one for a 0.1 km/h excess and another for 0.4 km/h.

A “heartbroken” Gasly maintained he had obeyed the speed limit and suggested that the acute angle of the pit‑lane entry, which compresses the measurement points, contributed to the cluster of infringements.

“I don’t think there is anything that could hurt me more right now,” he said. “It’s been ten years of relentless effort to stand on that podium in front of the fans who showed up.”

“This moment cannot be taken away by unfair means. What’s happening now isn’t right, and I hope the authorities make the correct decision.”

Pierre Gasly, Alpine A526

Photo by: Erik Junius

Although the penalties dropped him to seventh in the final classification, Gasly still appeared to celebrate after the race, shouting “f***ing P3” and raising his fist at several points around the circuit.

He later clarified that he had been informed of the penalty by his race engineer during the extended red‑flag period while the track surface was being repaired, and that he had deliberately pursued a maximal result despite knowing the sanction was imminent.

“I knew the situation when we stopped for the red flag and I tried to push as hard as I could to maximise the outcome, aware that the penalty would be applied,” he explained.

During lap 66, as cars entered the pit lane under the red flag, his engineer Josh Peckett radioed that he had incurred a second speeding violation.

“Okay mate, we’ve been caught speeding again. Please drive through the pit lane. Under‑shoot the speed. Under‑shoot properly, please. Under‑shoot all the way through; I’m not sure what’s happening. It’s not just us—many cars are doing the same. Keep driving through.”

Gasly’s artificial celebration blended anger with sarcasm as he processed what he viewed as a grave injustice, having been denied the chance to stand on Monaco’s iconic podium, a “lifelong dream.”

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