Kimi Antonelli's sensational victory from the back of the grid in the Italian Grand Prix was not only down to a great drive but also a clever strategy call and a timely virtual safety car (VSC). The Italian was the only Mercedes driver to make a pit stop during the race, ultimately defeating his team-mate and championship rival George Russell.
Mercedes split the strategies between its drivers. After the early red flag, Antonelli was put on mediums—the only option for the Italian to go to the end without stopping, having started on hards. Russell, meanwhile, started on mediums but switched to hards after the race was stopped following Charles Leclerc's crash, staying on that tyre for the rest of the distance.
For Antonelli, Mercedes used the opportunity to switch him to hards when Lance Stroll's stoppage triggered a VSC on lap 27. By that point, Antonelli had already made his way through the field and was battling Russell for the lead, although Mercedes asked him not to attack his team-mate after the initial phase of the fight, allowing them to try to build a gap to Max Verstappen.
The decision to pit Antonelli was made despite his report that his tyres were in good shape. Toto Wolff revealed that the team's software predicted Russell would still win on his strategy, but they split the strategies because the outcome was unknown. "We didn't know what was the better strategy," he told media, including Autosport. "At that stage, the system said that the one-stop [for Russell] comes out ahead. That two-stop was coming close to the end, but wouldn't catch. So that's what the software said."
Wolff also explained that the hard tyre proved durable but lacked the performance of the medium, and data showed signs of abrasion on other cars, justifying Antonelli's stop. "In the morning meeting we said the hard tyre is going to go forever. You can start on it and finish on it and you can see with George it was a forever tyre but it didn't have the performance of the medium," he said. Russell himself believed he had enough pace to win had Antonelli stayed on the same strategy.
Ultimately, the bold strategy call paid off for Mercedes, showcasing how calculated risks and adaptability can turn the tide in the pinnacle of motorsport.
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