Montoya: Mercedes compromised Russell's Monza chance by not double-stacking

The Italian Grand Prix at Monza was one of Mercedes' most memorable performances in recent years. The team celebrated a 1-2 finish with Italian hero Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who stormed from 19th on the grid to become the first Italian winner at Monza since 2026. But behind the celebration, a big strategic question remains: was George Russell abandoned by the team at the crucial moment of the race? Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya believes the answer is yes. Speaking on F1 TV's post-race show, Montoya made a sharp analysis of the mid-race virtual safety car, when Mercedes called only Antonelli into the pits and left Russell out. Montoya argued that Brackley made a mistake by not prioritising Russell, who was leading the race. Russell controlled the early phases with authority. He was leading and looked like the most likely winner before the VSC period. When the VSC emerged, Antonelli pitted for fresh tyres, while Russell had to stay out on worn tyres. Antonelli then carved through the field, overtook Russell, and took the chequered flag first. Montoya pointed out that under VSC, losing time in the pits is less costly than staying out on old tyres. "He was leading and he should have had priority on the pitstop. When that virtual safety car came, at that point, it's quicker to stop than staying out," he said. "They should have stopped him, they should have double-stacked him, and he would have stopped ahead of Antonelli." He admitted that Antonelli might still have caught Russell, saying: "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." Toto Wolff dismissed claims that strategy favoured Antonelli. He told Sky Sports F1: "The two-stop was the best but we didn't think it was the case, so that was good for him actually." Wolff added that nothing could have stopped Antonelli and that Russell fought with worn-out tools at the end. The controversy will linger for the rest of the season. Was Russell treated fairly? Montoya's criticism highlights a deeper question of team order and strategic decision-making under pressure. In a sport where every tenth matters, the right call at the right moment is crucial. Mercedes leaves Monza with a glorious 1-2 but with a hidden bitter taste for Russell, who deserved a fair chance to defend his lead.