Mercedes 'on the phone to lawyers' after Pierre Gasly podium controversy

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has confirmed that the team is talking to the FIA to scope out “remedies” for George Russell's nightmare Monaco Grand Prix.

Russell was issued a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane during the grand prix, which was incorrectly served as he made his pit stop.

As a result, he was handed a drive-through penalty which demoted him out of the points, offering a significant dent in his F1 title change.

However, Alpine successfully overturned two time penalties for Pierre Gasly which were unserved during the Monaco race, reinstating him to the podium several days after the event had ended.

RacingNews365 understands Red Bull and McLaren has signalled its intent to protest the stewards' ruling, with a 96-hour window to formally submit a complaint now active.

Wolff has confirmed that Mercedes is also keeping a close eye on the situation.

“For us as a team and especially for George, massive implications,” Wolff told media including RacingNews365.

“He had a difficult qualifying session, but he moved all the way back up there.

“Clearly without the penalty, without us not serving it correctly, it would have been a totally different outcome for his race.

“Whether he would have made the podium or not is a different question, but a different outcome would have had an impact on his championship situation.

“That's why it's unfortunate. We are assessing, as we speak, what the Gasly situation does for George.”

However, Wolff confirmed that Mercedes is not seeking to overturn Gasly's podium, but rather if there is range to positively impact Russell's result.

“There are certain timing restraints, we wouldn't appeal the Gasly results, certainly, but we would like the FIA to look at what could be the remedies for George's race,” he said.

“We are having some timing limitations, that and some other legal constraints, but we have a reason to be annoyed and I wish we could have had those conversations before the race on Sunday.”

While Wolff acknowledged the team is aware how unlikely it is to benefit from such an appeal, he stated the squad's lawyers are currently deliberating the matter.

“I just left when we were on the phone with our lawyers to look at what we can do for George,” he said.

“A drive-through, if it didn't happen at the end, is equivalent of 20 seconds race time. What would 20 seconds of race time have meant for his result? 

“Do we think that we realistically have a chance of reverting the result? I don't think so.

“But we definitely have to give it a go if we see that there is a millimetre of chance to do so and bring him back to whatever it was before we'd calculated P3 or P4.”