Mercedes' Strategy Cost Russell the Win | Sports News

Mercedes’ bold gamble at Monza backfired spectacularly as George Russell, leading on hard tires, was left out while teammate Kimi Antonelli pitted for fresher rubber — a move that handed Verstappen’s rival the win. With just three laps to go, Antonelli surged past Russell to claim his first career victory from 19th on the grid, leaving Russell stunned and furious. Sky Sports commentator David Croft slammed Mercedes for failing to protect their frontrunner, arguing they should’ve given Russell a “cheap pit stop” to level the playing field. The team’s focus on neutralizing Max Verstappen cost them a potential win — sparking heated debate over whether strategy or driver protection should come first in high-stakes moments. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/c8bd4ab87bb2356a