As the lights went out at Monza, George Russell had a golden opportunity to close the points gap to his teammate, Kimi Antonelli. Starting from second while Antonelli languished in 19th, Russell looked set to steal a points haul. But what unfolded over the next 53 laps became another chapter in Mercedes' intensifying internal battle.
Antonelli, with the ferocity typical of a young charger, surged through the field after the Lap 6 restart. From 19th, he was soon sixth. The crucial moment came on Lap 19 when he swept past Russell, though they briefly traded places. A bold call to pit under the Virtual Safety Car proved decisive. Antonelli switched to fresher medium tyres, while Russell stayed out on hards that began to fade in the closing stages.
The result was Antonelli's seventh win of the season, extending his championship lead over Russell to 66 points. This was not just a win; it was a statement. Russell himself acknowledged that the title fight is now almost out of reach.
"Yeah, Kimi is clearly in control, and he deserves to be. I'm not even thinking about a fight or a comeback. I'm just focused on taking it race by race and trying to maximize every weekend," Russell said, as quoted by Motorsport.com.
Russell also reflected on the tyre strategies. He started on mediums and switched to hards, while Antonelli did the opposite. Russell felt comfortable with his choice, especially when he saw Max Verstappen and Antonelli on mediums mid-race.
"I think the hard was the best tyre to take to the end. When I saw Max and Kimi on the medium, I was feeling pretty good because I knew they would drop off more. But the VSC came out at the perfect time for them to pit. It would have been interesting to see how it played out without the VSC," Russell added.
With a 66-point deficit and only 10 rounds remaining, Russell's title hopes are slim. However, he chooses to enjoy the rest of the season and chase wins. The intra-Mercedes battle is far from over, but the direction is now clear: Antonelli is on a path to the crown.
Baca Juga
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