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George Russell reacts after losing out to Kimi Antonelli in Italian Grand Prix as he admits being ‘surprised’ by split strategies
formula1.com • • general
Key Points:
- George Russell lost the Italian Grand Prix victory to teammate Kimi Antonelli after a late-race battle, with Russell surprised by Antonelli's pit stop during the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) phase.
- Russell led early from pole sitter Pierre Gasly, while Antonelli climbed from 19th on the grid to challenge for the lead, eventually overtaking Russell in the final laps.
- Mercedes pitted Antonelli under the VSC for fresh tyres, a strategy Russell did not expect as he stayed out on track, which proved decisive in the race outcome.
- Despite missing out on the win, Russell praised Antonelli’s performance and viewed his second place as a positive result after a challenging first half of the season.
- Antonelli extended his Drivers' Championship lead to 66 points, while Russell solidified his hold on second place ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.
