Tensions reached boiling point at the Italian Grand Prix when Flavio Briatore, Alpine's executive advisor, levelled allegations of bias against one of the International Court of Appeal (ICA) judges handling the McLaren and Red Bull protest. The accusation sparked a fiery exchange with McLaren boss Andrea Stella in Friday's official FIA press conference.
The root of the conflict lies in the ICA's decision to grant Alpine's right of review over Pierre Gasly's penalties at the Monaco GP. Gasly, who had lost his third-place podium, was reinstated after his two five-second time penalties were wiped. This demoted Oscar Piastri of McLaren and Red Bull's Isack Hadjar to fifth and fourth respectively.
Briatore's Explosive Claims in Public
During the half-hour session, Briatore, seated alongside Stella and Ferrari's Fred Vasseur, directed his ire at judge Filippo Marchino. Briatore claimed Marchino, a motorsport enthusiast and amateur WRC driver, had close ties to McLaren through the One Drop Foundation.
"It is very unfair. We accept the decision, but what is strange is four judges on the panel, one acts like a prosecutor. The problem is he is very linked with the McLaren company. We have a nice picture of this guy at a speech for McLaren in 2018 at MSO, Beverly Hills," Briatore told media, including RacingNews365. He added that McLaren had donated cars to the foundation, creating a perceived conflict of interest.
Stella Hits Back, Demands Accountability
Stella responded sharply, calling the allegations insulting to McLaren's reputation and hinting at legal consequences. "I find this conference going in this direction is quite insulting for McLaren, for the reputation of a team that deserves a lot of respect. If anybody makes these kinds of allegations – which seem quite serious – they are going to have to take responsibility for what they are saying in a public forum," he said. He stressed that the ICA hearing was conducted to the highest standards and should not be questioned.
Notably, the ICA verdict's prologue stated that no parties raised objections regarding the court's composition or the hearing's conduct. Briatore hinted Alpine is considering next steps, while the FIA remains confident in the ICA's robustness. As of this report, Marchino has not publicly responded to the allegations.
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