F1 Q&A: George Russell, Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc
BBC Sport presents a Q&A session featuring George Russell, Kimi Antonelli, and Charles Leclerc, with insights from BBC Sport’s Andrew Benson.
Italian Grand Prix Highlights
- Kimi Antonelli achieved an iconic win at the Italian Grand Prix, climbing from 19th on the grid to take victory in his home race.
- Antonelli’s lead in the drivers’ standings now stands at 66 points over team-mate George Russell.
- Max Verstappen secured third place on the podium, completing a thrilling race at Monza.
Fan Query: Pit Strategy Dilemma
Tom asks: Why wasn’t George Russell given the option to pit under the virtual safety car (VSC) during the Italian Grand Prix? With hard tyres, was he not the leading driver who should have had a say in the strategy?
Andrew Benson’s Response:
In retrospect, it might seem there was controversy surrounding Mercedes’ decisions during the VSC period. However, at the time, Russell was leading on hard tyres while Kimi Antonelli was second on mediums. The team considered optimising their pace and building a gap to Max Verstappen.
Russell had already changed to hards with the intention of finishing the race, believing cars behind him might stay out as well. He felt any pit stop decision should have favoured Antelli, who was more likely to struggle with his mediums later in the race if the VSC wasn’t called.
Mercedes’ strategy computers indicated a one-stop strategy was best at that stage. Toto Wolff explained, "We didn’t know what was the better strategy. At that time, the system said that the one-stop comes out ahead."
The key takeaway is Antelli’s exceptional drive. He seamlessly passed cars and kept his overall race pace efficient despite starting from 19th on the grid.
