The Formula 1 paddock was buzzing with discussion on Friday after two major developments unfolded in Barcelona. While Lewis Hamilton endured a challenging day of practice ahead of the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, the FIA delivered a significant verdict that dramatically altered the final result of the Monaco Grand Prix.
Hamilton’s Friday preparations got off to an unusual start after the seven-time world champion sat out the opening practice session. Ferrari handed his car to junior driver Dino Beganovic as part of the FIA’s requirement that each team gives rookie drivers opportunities during the season. As a result, Hamilton entered the second session with less track time than many of his rivals and immediately faced the task of catching up on both car setup and circuit conditions.
Speaking after the day’s running, Hamilton admitted that conditions felt unusual and highlighted a trend that had left him searching for answers. The Briton struggled to extract consistent performance from his Ferrari and acknowledged that there are still several unknowns heading into the remainder of the weekend. Although Friday practice is often used to experiment with different setups and tyre strategies, Hamilton’s comments suggested that Ferrari still has work to do before qualifying.
The uncertainty surrounding Hamilton’s performance contrasted sharply with the celebrations taking place at Alpine, where the team secured a major victory away from the track.
Following a successful Right of Review application, Alpine convinced FIA stewards to overturn the penalties that had cost Pierre Gasly a podium finish at the Monaco Grand Prix. The French driver had originally crossed the line in third place on the streets of Monte Carlo but was later hit with two separate five-second penalties for pit-lane speeding infringements.
Those sanctions added ten seconds to Gasly’s race time and dropped him from third to seventh in the final classification, denying Alpine one of its strongest results of the season. However, the team continued to challenge the decision and presented new evidence during the FIA review process.
After examining the material submitted by Alpine, the stewards decided to rescind both penalties. The ruling restored Gasly to the position he had achieved on track, officially reinstating him to third place and awarding him a podium finish.
The decision represents a significant boost for both Gasly and Alpine. Not only does it improve the driver’s points tally, but it also strengthens the team’s position in the Constructors’ Championship. The revised result has once again reshaped the standings and added another chapter to what has already become one of the most controversial race weekends of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
The FIA’s ruling is expected to remain a major talking point throughout the Barcelona weekend, with rival teams carefully studying the outcome and its implications. Meanwhile, Hamilton and Ferrari will be hoping to solve their own performance questions quickly as they aim to challenge at the front of the field.
As Formula 1 heads deeper into another busy race weekend, both stories underline how fortunes can change rapidly—whether through developments on the track or decisions made in the stewards’ room.