Montoya: Mercedes should have double-stacked Russell and Antonelli at Monza

Monza, 7 September 2026 – Kimi Antonelli wrote a new chapter for Italy when he became the first home winner at the Italian Grand Prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 2026. But that historic moment at the Temple of Speed also opened a debate with no clear end, and the man who started it was Juan Pablo Montoya. The former Formula 1 driver from Colombia had no doubt about Antonelli's talent, but he believed Mercedes robbed George Russell of his victory chance in the moment the virtual safety car emerged. Russell was the race leader at that vital time, yet the team only called Antonelli into the pits. As a result, Antonelli rejoined, carved through traffic, caught and overtook Russell for the win. Seeing that unfold, Montoya aimed his question directly at Mercedes' strategy wall. "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 on F1 TV's post-race show. To anyone who has followed F1 for years, Montoya's tone was not one of pure emotion. He provided a pure tactical analysis: when a virtual safety car is deployed, the pit lane is closed and the entire field has to slow down. The time penalty for pitting loses its usual severity. Had Mercedes executed a double stack, meaning both cars entered the pits during the same VSC window, they could have changed tyres for both drivers without losing too many positions. But Mercedes only brought in Antonelli. Russell stayed out with worn tyres and a one-stop strategy. The decision was even harder to comprehend because Russell was leading and had shown better rhythm in the early phase. If anyone was to be prioritized, Montoya suggested, it should have been the man putting the car in the most favourable track position. That man was George Russell. Montoya also refrained from saying Antonelli could not have won anyway. "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." That sentence reveals a key point: the issue was not the final result, but rather that Mercedes failed to give Russell a fair chance to defend his position. In racing, the double stack is not uncommon. It is often used under safety car or VSC because the field is compressed, opening a safe pit window. Yet it carries risks, especially when both drivers arrive in quick succession and one may have to wait for the other to be released, adding extra time. But Montoya argued those risks shrink under VSC. Russell was leading; with proper timing, the order between the two Mercedes could have been maintained after the stops. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff came out to defend the decision. Wolff 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. But today there was nothing that would have stopped him [Antonelli]. George fought with worn-out tools at the end, so I'm really happy for the one-two." When asked about alternatives for Russell, Wolff added: "No, George was on the hard and we needed to go on the one-stop so there was no chance." Wolff's explanation actually confirmed part of Montoya's argument. Russell was forced to follow a one-stop strategy while Antonelli benefited from a fresh set of tyres and an extra stop under VSC. Wolff admitted that a two-stop was the best, but the team did not choose it for Russell. The question becomes: if two-stop was optimal for Antonelli, why could it not be used for the race leader? Montoya believed the answer lies in an implicit priority, even if Mercedes never said it openly. That leads to a more counterintuitive angle: the problem is not that Mercedes chose Antonelli over Russell, but that they failed to create a fair fight between their two drivers. In a team, strategy must serve the overall result, but when both cars are ahead of the rest, leaving one man to fight with worn tyres is a decision that can affect morale. Russell had every right to think he deserved priority. And in Montoya's eyes, that was an avoidable tactical injustice. Monza is a unique track. Average speeds are high, tyres suffer tremendous stress, and worn tyres can change everything late in the race. Russell did his job as a leader in the early stages, but when Mercedes left him out too long without fresh rubber, he became a sitting duck. Antonelli had newer tyres, raw speed and the confidence of charging form. His comeback was no miracle; it was the result of a tyre gap. In the past, I have seen countless races decided by seemingly minor details – pit order, the moment of a VSC, or hesitation on the strategy wall. Data only tells part of the story; the rest lies in listening. Mercedes had all the data about tyres, pace, and stop times. They knew Russell was driving well, but they also knew his tyres would fade. Leaving him out while Antonelli took new tyres was not random. It was a strategic choice, and Montoya believes it was a wrong one. Toto Wolff could argue that Antonelli deserved the win because he passed 18 cars. But that view misses a crucial fact: Russell was leading before the strategists stepped in. Without that VSC, it is likely Russell would have one-stopped his way to victory. The VSC did not hand Antonelli the win; it handed him a chance. That chance was big enough to turn Russell's one-stop into a burden. There have been similar situations in past seasons, when teams had to choose between prioritizing the leader or the chasing driver. Usually, the leader receives preferential treatment because he controls the race. At Monza, Mercedes did the opposite. They put Russell on the defensive against a teammate holding every tyre advantage. Montoya simply noted that a double stack would have kept Russell competitive and forced Antonelli to overtake him properly, rather than waiting for his tyres to fall off. The story here is not whether Antonelli deserved it. Antonelli did nothing wrong; he took the opportunity the team gave him. The story is about the balance between two drivers inside a team. When both want to win, the strategy group must make a transparent and fair decision based on data, not sentiment or hidden preference. Montoya, with years of racetrack wisdom, saw it instantly and did not hesitate to voice it. In the end, a 1-2 at Monza is a great outcome for Mercedes as they try to regain ground on their rivals. But for Russell, the second-place trophy tasted slightly bitter. He did everything right until the strategy call. Every collapse has a precursor; few are willing to see it in advance. Are Mercedes already showing cracks in how they manage their drivers? The answer may come in the next few rounds when Russell and Antonelli once again go head-to-head. Monza will be remembered for Antonelli, the Italian who made history. But for those who value fairness in sport, Monza also asks whether a team should abandon its race leader at critical strategy moments. Montoya gave his answer. The true beauty of Formula 1 lies not just in speed, but in the uncompromising battle between humans and tactics. And Mercedes' one-two, however beautiful, still left a silvery stain in the eyes of those who have worked on the pit wall. The Germans forgot long ago that football never forgives complacency – yet in F1, complacency also has its price. Mercedes did not lose a title at Monza, but they might be losing something even more precious: George Russell's trust that the team stands behind him. That is an intangible asset which no timing sheet can measure. Watch how Russell reacts in the coming races, listen to his radio exchanges – everything will surface soon enough. The lesson from Monza goes beyond who was right or wrong. It reminds teams that data only matters when placed in full context. Mercedes had tactical reasons for keeping Russell on a one-stop, but they failed to weigh the full benefit of pitting under VSC. Had they done so, we might have witnessed a magnificent duel between two Mercedes in the closing laps, rather than a relatively easy comeback. Montoya wanted a real battle – and that is exactly what every fan craves.