Montoya criticizes Mercedes: Why was Russell and Antonelli not double-stacked at Monza?

Monza, the temple of speed in Italy, has its own way of separating heroes from losers. Kimi Antonelli made history when he became the first Italian driver to win at this circuit since 2026. But the most talked-about story after the race was not Antonelli's victory, but the tactical shock that took victory away from George Russell. Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya openly criticized Mercedes' handling of the virtual safety car period. Montoya said on F1 TV: “Russell was leading and he should have had the priority on the pitstop. When the virtual safety car came, it is quicker to stop than staying out. They should have double-stacked him, and he should have stopped ahead of Antonelli.” He added that Antonelli might still have won, but it would have been a close and exciting fight. Russell controlled the early phase of the race and was the primary candidate for victory. Then the VSC appeared, Antonelli pitted, while Russell was left out on track with older tyres. Antonelli caught him and overtook him for the win. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff defended the strategy, claiming: “The two-stop was the best but we didn't think it was the case, so that was good for him actually. George fought with worn-out tools at the end. No, George was on the hard and we needed to go on the one-stop so there was no chance.” Montoya argued that the team should have given priority to its leading driver, especially since a double-stack under VSC can minimize time loss. He believes the decision compromised Russell and created an unnecessary internal conflict. The debate over fairness and strategy will continue as the season goes on, but Mercedes now needs to manage both drivers carefully to avoid long-term damage.