Montoya: Mercedes should have prioritized Russell over Antonelli at Monza

Andrea Kimi Antonelli's victory at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza made history as the young Italian became the first home driver to win at the legendary circuit since 2026. However, this victory was not only a testament to his talent but also the result of a strategic decision by Mercedes that many believe cost George Russell a clear shot at the win. Russell, starting from third, took the lead early and controlled the race tightly, showing strong pace and appearing set to deliver a win for Mercedes before a mid-race virtual safety car changed everything. Mercedes chose to pit only Antonelli, while race leader Russell remained out on track. Antonelli, who had started from 19th, had fresh tyres and quickly caught up to Russell in the closing laps. His impressive overtake delivered the Italian his first Formula 1 victory. Yet, many pundits argue Mercedes were unfair to Russell by not prioritizing him. In the post-race show on F1 TV, former driver Juan Pablo Montoya did not hesitate to criticize Mercedes' decision. “He was leading and he should have had the priority on the pitstop. When that virtual safety car came, at that point, it's quicker to stop than staying out. They should have stopped him, they should have double-stacked him, and he should have stopped ahead of Antonelli,” Montoya said. Montoya also stressed that there was no guarantee Antonelli would not have caught and passed Russell, but the race would have been far more exciting if Russell had been protected. “And I'm not saying Antonelli wouldn't still catch him and win the race, but it would have been a really close fight like we saw earlier on. It would have been a really cool race at the end for all of us,” the Colombian added. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff defended the strategy, stating that a one-stop was the best option for Russell to maintain track position, and that Antonelli's win was not due to favouritism. “The two-stop was the best but we didn't think it was the case, so that was good for him actually,” Wolff told Sky Sports F1. When asked if there were any other options for Russell, Wolff was dismissive: “No, George was on the hard and we needed to go on the one-stop so there was no chance.” The story at Monza once again shows how strategy in F1 can decide the fate of a race. For Antonelli, this triumph is a major milestone. For Russell, he may feel regret, but importantly he proved he belongs among Mercedes' top drivers. The fight between the two teammates is surely far from over.