Mercedes filed a right of review over George Russell’s Monaco penalty, only to withdraw it a few days later. Russell was one of the many drivers to be penalized for speeding in the pit lane, dropping him out of the points. Following the successful appeal of Alpine, which had managed to get Pierre Gasly’s penalty overturned, Mercedes decided to file a right of review. The request for a hearing was accepted by the FIA and scheduled for Saturday, but Mercedes withdrew the request later. Unlike Gasly, who did not serve his penalty during the race, Russell had served his penalty during a pit stop. It’s believed that Mercedes was advised that the results could not be overturned, leading to them withdrawing their appeal.
The results of the Monaco Grand Prix still hang in the balance, with McLaren and Red Bull officially protesting the race results. The argument is that by rescinding Gasly’s penalty, teams that followed the rules and served the penalty during the race have been unfairly disadvantaged. The matter will be addressed by the FIA International Court of Appeal.
Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli completed an aggressive testing campaign in a bid to earn a seat for 2027. Only days after being the fastest rookie in the first free practice session of the Barcelona Grand Prix, Fornaroli was back behind the wheel of a McLaren F1 car. This time it was in the 2023 MCL60 at Monza as part of the team’s Testing of Previous Cars programme, alongside former F1 driver Will Stevens. After that appearance, Fornaroli returned to Barcelona to participate in Haas’s TPC programme alongside Ryo Hirakawa. The 21-year-old won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 championships, but failed to earn an F1 seat for 2026, currently serving as McLaren’s reserve driver. His strong testing performance and busy schedule have fuelled rumours that he may replace Esteban Ocon at Haas in 2027.
Pirelli conducted another two-day tyre test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with the help of Ferrari, Aston Martin, and Cadillac. The focus was on the development of the 2027 slick tyres, with performance runs in the mornings and long runs in the afternoon. Ferrari fielded brothers Charles and Arthur Leclerc, while Zhou Guanyu drove the Cadillac on both days. Aston Martin only participated in the first day of the test, giving Jak Crawford some time behind the wheel. The test gave Pirelli 605 laps of data.
It can be challenging for even the most avid fans to keep up with the fast-paced world of Formula One. The Weekly F1 Recap is a series published each Monday that breaks down the action, both on and off the circuit, into bit-sized pieces. It's perfect for casual and experienced fans alike.
