Montoya: Mercedes Stole Russell's Monza Victory with an Indecisive Pit Stop Decision

The roar of the V6 engines at Monza had barely faded when a much bigger controversy erupted inside Mercedes. Juan Pablo Montoya, a former Formula 1 driver, believes the team compromised George Russell's Italian Grand Prix by failing to double-stack Russell and Kimi Antonelli during a virtual safety car period. Antonelli produced a heroic drive from 19th on the grid, becoming the first Italian winner at Monza since 2026. But Russell, who led the early stages, was left out on track while Antonelli pitted under VSC, allowing the young Italian to catch and overtake him for victory. Montoya told F1 TV that Russell should have been given priority at the pit stop. "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," he explained. Montoya admitted Antonelli might still have won, but insisted the race would have been much closer. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff defended the strategy, saying Russell was on hard tyres and committed to a one-stop. "Today there was nothing that would have stopped him," Wolff said. The debate highlights the team's continued decision-making fragility under pressure and raises questions about how it balances its two drivers' ambitions in future races.