Briatore opens war on FIA: 'Biased judge in cahoots with McLaren' - Gasly case shakes Italian paddock

MONZA — On a Friday afternoon press conference at the Monza circuit, Flavio Briatore walked in holding an A4 sheet of paper. He didn't pick up the microphone. He didn't look at the cameras. He placed the paper on the table, pointed at it, and said: "I have evidence."

The 74-year-old former team principal — once banned for life for fixing the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix — now serves as Alpine's executive advisor. And he has opened a front few dare to touch in F1: the independence of the FIA's judicial system.

The story begins in Monaco. Pierre Gasly finished third at the sport's most prestigious race. An outstanding result for Alpine — a midfield team fighting for every point. But Gasly was hit with two five-second penalties for pit lane speeding. Twice. Same driver. Same race. It dropped him from third to seventh.

Alpine appealed. And won. Gasly was reinstated to third. But McLaren and Red Bull — both affected by the decision — appealed to the FIA International Court of Appeal. And this time, Alpine lost.

Isack Hadjar, Red Bull's junior driver, was elevated to third. Oscar Piastri of McLaren moved to fourth. Gasly fell to seventh. And Alpine lost 12 points — a number that could determine millions of dollars in FOM prize money at season's end.

Briatore did not accept it. And he chose to respond with a direct attack on the man who delivered the ruling.

"I have a paper here," Briatore told reporters at Monza. "I want to know if there is a judge... who has a working relationship with McLaren?"

'Working relationship'

The judge in question is Filippo Marchino, an American-Italian lawyer, one of four judges on the FIA International Court of Appeal panel that heard the case. Marchino also serves as a director of the One Drop Foundation — a charity to which, according to Briatore, McLaren donated "two or three cars."

"If I give two cars to someone, isn't that a working relationship?" Briatore asked. "That judge acted like a prosecutor. He was very nasty, very unpleasant. I don't understand how a judge can behave like that."

Briatore further claimed that Marchino once gave a speech for McLaren in Beverly Hills in 2026, and that he has a photo to prove it. "I have the picture here," he said, pointing at the A4 paper. "If you want to see it, I'll give it to you."

These allegations, if proven, would represent a serious challenge to the integrity of the FIA's judicial system. A judge with a relationship to one party in a case — even through a charitable foundation — is a potential conflict of interest that cannot be ignored.

But Briatore has a problem: his own history.

The credibility problem

In 2026, Briatore was banned for life from all F1 activities for his role in fixing the Singapore Grand Prix — where his driver Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed to benefit teammate Fernando Alonso. The ban was later overturned, but the stain remains.

When a man once convicted of race-fixing stands up to accuse the judicial system of bias, the first question is not "is the accusation true?" but "why should I believe him?"

This is the core weakness in Briatore's strategy. He may be right about Marchino — entirely possible — but his credibility is so damaged that any accusation from him will be met with double the skepticism.

Andrea Stella, McLaren's team principal, exploited this skillfully.

Stella: 'Take responsibility'

Stella did not directly address the allegations. Instead, he focused on process: "The hearing was conducted to the highest standards," Stella said. "I have complete faith in the integrity of everyone involved."

Then Stella turned to attack: "I think Mr. Briatore will have to take responsibility for his statements. It's unfortunate to see a figure in our sport using such language."

"These allegations are insulting," Stella added. "They insult McLaren, they insult the FIA, and they insult the sport."

This is a classic media strategy: don't debate the substance, attack the source. Stella doesn't need to prove Marchino innocent; he just needs to make Briatore look like a defamer.

And with Briatore's history, that's not difficult.

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Look at the bigger picture. Alpine lost at every legal level. They appealed once and won, but McLaren and Red Bull appealed to the International Court of Appeal — the highest level — and Alpine lost. That means, in the judgment of the F1 legal system, Alpine had no solid legal ground.

But Briatore doesn't accept that. Instead, he chose to attack the person, not the process.

"If you ask me whether I believe in justice in this country? No," Briatore said. "I don't."

This is a powerful statement, but it's also a huge gamble. By personalizing the issue — calling Marchino "nasty" and "unpleasant" — Briatore has turned a legal dispute into a personal war. If he has evidence, he wins. If not, he loses even harder.

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This case means far more than a single third-place finish in Monaco. It questions the independence of the FIA's judicial system — a system that teams must trust to resolve disputes.

If Briatore is right — if Marchino indeed had an undisclosed relationship with McLaren — then the entire FIA appeals process is called into question. Other teams that have lost past cases may demand reviews. That would be a genuine governance crisis.

But if Briatore is wrong — if he's just throwing smoke to distract from Alpine's poor on-track performance — then he's not just hurting himself, but the entire team he represents.

The FIA has yet to issue an official comment. The governing body was contacted by the Press Association but has not responded. This silence could be a strategy — waiting for the media storm to pass — or it could signal an internal investigation underway.

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At Monza, where the tifosi usually fill the stands with passionate energy, the story of Briatore and Marchino has dominated every conversation. This is a purely political scandal — no car speed, no pit strategy, no driving talent. It's about power, influence, and bias.

And that's why it's dangerous.

F1 has built its brand on fair competition — the fastest car wins, the best driver stands on the podium. When faith in that fairness erodes, the sport's entire commercial structure is threatened. Sponsors don't want their names attached to a sport with questionable results. Broadcasters don't want to pay billions for a championship fans don't trust.

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Briatore chose a perfect moment to launch his accusation. The Italian Grand Prix is one of the highest-media-attention races of the year. Every reporter is present. Every camera is pointed at him.

But perfect timing can also be a trap. If Briatore cannot produce evidence within the next 48 hours — while the media wave is at its peak — the story will turn against him. He will be called a liar, a defamer, and worse: a desperate man.

Does the Beverly Hills 2026 photo really exist? Did Marchino actually give a speech for McLaren? Did One Drop Foundation receive cars from McLaren? And if so, does that constitute a conflict of interest?

These questions need answers. Not from Briatore, not from Stella, but from the FIA.

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I've been following F1 since 2026. I've seen scandals come and go. I've seen teams accuse each other, drivers stripped of titles, team principals banned. But I've never seen a direct attack on an FIA judge like this.

It's either very brave or very stupid. With Briatore, I suspect both.

Conclusion: Who blinks first?

This case is at a stage where no one wants to blink first. Briatore has thrown out his accusation and is waiting for a reaction. Stella has defended McLaren and is waiting for evidence. The FIA is silent and waiting to see if the storm will pass on its own.

But in F1, no storm passes on its own. They just change direction.

If Briatore has real evidence — the photo, documents, emails — then the FIA faces a serious governance crisis. If not, Briatore will face legal consequences from Marchino and McLaren.

Whatever the outcome, one thing is clear: the FIA's judicial system is being tested. And how the FIA responds in the coming days will shape the trust of teams, drivers, and fans in the sport's fairness for years to come.

I'll be watching closely. And I suggest you do too.

Because in F1, every collapse has a premise. And the premise of this collapse is being written right now at Monza, on a single sheet of A4 paper.