Monza Weekend Reveals Monaco Verdict and Sparks New Controversy

Formula 1 arrived at Monza expecting slipstreams, strategy and tifosi. It left with all of that – plus another rules storm that could yet rewrite the points again.

While the Italian Grand Prix played out on track, a loose end from early June was finally tied up. The long-delayed decision on the Monaco Grand Prix result landed: Pierre Gasly lost his podium, Isack Hadjar inherited third, and a race that had already been argued over for months took yet another twist.

Gasly’s case had become a maze. The Alpine driver crossed the line third in Monaco, was dropped down the order by a pit-lane speed penalty, then reinstated on the podium after an initial protest. Now, almost three months later, that podium has been stripped away again. The timing alone raises an uncomfortable question for the paddock: how long should it really take to settle a race result?

Yet even as Monaco’s saga closed, Monza opened a fresh chapter.

Audi furious over Tsunoda restart call

After the chequered flag in Italy, Audi signalled it is ready to challenge the result of the Italian Grand Prix. Not because of a penalty given, but because of one the team believes should have been.

At the heart of the dispute sits Yuki Tsunoda.

Racing for Racing Bulls at Monza in place of Liam Lawson – himself standing in for Isack Hadjar at Red Bull Racing – Tsunoda finished tenth, securing the final point on offer. Just behind, in 11th and 12th, came the two Audi drivers, Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg. Close enough to taste the points, but not close enough to take them.

Audi’s frustration stems from the chaotic restart after the red flag triggered by Charles Leclerc’s crash.

On his way to the grid for the restart, Tsunoda initially lined up on the left-hand side, even though his designated slot was on the right. Realising the error late, he cut across and slotted into his correct box, but slightly askew. Race director Rui Marques aborted the start procedure and ordered an extra formation lap.

That decision changed the rhythm of the race and, crucially, raised a regulatory question. Under the rules, a driver who causes an extra formation lap is required to start from the pit lane. Tsunoda did not. He took up his grid slot again at the second restart and went on to claim that vital single point.

No instruction came from race control to send him to the pits. No penalty followed.

Stewards’ logic – and Audi’s opening

An investigation was launched into Tsunoda for a potential breach of the starting procedure. On paper, the scenario looked clear: an extra formation lap had been triggered, and the regulations normally demand a pit-lane start for the driver at fault.

The stewards, though, saw it differently.

They ruled that Tsunoda and his team had not been made aware that he was being treated as the cause of the additional formation lap. They also judged that he was not officially in an incorrect starting position when the start was aborted. On that basis, they decided against imposing a stop-and-go penalty.

Their explanation stressed two points: the extra formation lap was ordered for safety reasons, and the call was made in good faith. The implication was that this was a race-control intervention to tidy up a messy grid situation, not a clear-cut procedural offence by the driver.

Audi is not convinced.

The German-Swiss outfit notified the FIA within the required one-hour window after the race that it is considering a protest. That declaration keeps its legal options open. The team now has 96 hours from Sunday evening to decide whether to formally lodge the appeal or quietly let the matter drop.

If it pushes ahead and wins, the impact on the classification would be immediate. A stop-and-go penalty, when applied after the race, typically translates into a 30-second time addition. Tsunoda would tumble down the order, both Audi drivers would be promoted one place, and Bortoleto would collect a hard-earned point.

For a midfield team, that single point matters. It shapes prize money, momentum and narrative.

Monza has always been about speed and glory. This year, it might be remembered just as much for a crooked grid slot, a delayed verdict in Monaco, and another looming legal battle over who really deserved to leave Italy with something to show for it.