Briatore accuses, the FIA replies
“McLaren gave a car to one of the judges: I think it is not a proper situation when a judge is connected to the group of those who appealed“. The very serious accusations by Flavio Briatore about the FIA’s decision to take the podium away from Pierre Gasly could not leave the Federation indifferent. And, less than 24 hours later, a firm reply arrived from the FIA International Court of Appeal, which emphasized its impartiality.
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The FIA statement
“The FIA courts are aware of the observations expressed by public opinion questioning the independence and impartiality of the judges of the panel that decided the Gasly case. It is desired to clarify that the appointment and participation of the judges in this case, as in any other case, took place in compliance with the applicable judicial procedures of the FIA and with usual practice, which are inspired by the highest standards, such as the International Bar Association Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest in International Arbitration“, reads the statement.
Statement from the FIA International Court of Appeal.
The FIA Courts operate independently from the FIA’s sporting and administrative functions.
In this statement, the Court clarifies the procedures governing the appointment and participation of its judges, and reaffirms its… pic.twitter.com/7HCuMoelUE
— FIA (@fia) September 5, 2026
“All judges are elected by the FIA General Assemblies, some of them on the proposal of a group of at least five F1 teams, in accordance with the Federation’s Statute. They are all subject to the independence and confidentiality requirements contained in the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Regulations, submit an annual declaration of interests to the FIA Compliance Officer and sign a specific declaration of independence for each individual case, taking into account the matter under consideration and the parties involved, which is notified to the parties“.
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“Both at the beginning and at the conclusion of the hearing, the parties were invited to raise any issues relating to the procedure or the composition of the Tribunal. None did. No objection was raised during the hearing regarding the way the Tribunal questioned the witness or conducted the proceedings“.
“The Court emphasizes the importance of constituting judging panels composed of judges from diverse cultural and geographical backgrounds. This helps ensure that deliberations and discussions reflect a diversity of legal traditions, perspectives, and approaches, further strengthening fairness, independence, credibility of the process, and access to a fair trial“, the note concludes. “The decision of a court may leave room for different interpretations and comments regarding its legal merits; this is right and accepted by all judges. The court is confident in the correctness of the proceedings and the integrity of the judges. The FIA courts remain committed to ensuring the independence and impartiality of their judges and the integrity of the judicial process“.
Briatore suggested that Alpine became aware of Marchino’s ties with McLaren only after the hearing. Therefore, if the French team wanted to overturn this decision, it should try to produce new evidence that substantiates what the Piedmontese manager said. Statements that, for now, remain only accusations.
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