Juan Pablo Montoya believes Mercedes got George Russell’s Monza strategy wrong, arguing the team should have double-stacked its cars under the virtual safety car at the Italian Grand Prix.
Russell controlled the early phase of the race and was the favourite for victory before a mid-race VSC reshaped the afternoon. Mercedes left the Briton out on hard tyres while team-mate Kimi Antonelli took the stop, and the Italian then worked his way back through the field to beat him to a famous home win from 19th on the grid — the first Italian victory at Monza since 1966. Our full report on Antonelli’s win and Mercedes’ split strategy has the detail.
Why Montoya questions George Russell’s Monza strategy
Speaking on F1 TV’s post-race show, in comments reported by Motorsport.com, the former Williams and McLaren driver said the race leader should have had pit-lane priority, and that stopping was quicker than staying out once the caution was called: “they should have double-stacked him, and he should have stopped ahead of Antonelli”. Montoya accepted that Antonelli might still have won, but felt the call cost the race a closer finish.
Mercedes stand by the call
Toto Wolff, addressing suggestions the strategy favoured Antonelli, told Sky Sports F1 that Mercedes did not judge the two-stop to be the better route at the time, and that Russell was committed to a one-stop on the hard tyre. Russell himself was more measured, telling BBC Sport he had not considered changing tyres and had expected the cars behind to stay out, though the timing of the caution annoyed him.
The 1-2 leaves Russell 66 points adrift of his team-mate in the drivers’ standings, and Mercedes’ internal balance will be scrutinised again at round 14 in Madrid on 11-13 September.
