Andrea Kimi Antonelli's sensational win from the back of the grid in the Italian Grand Prix was aided by a strategic split between Mercedes drivers. While Antonelli pitted during a virtual safety car period on lap 27 following Lance Stroll's stoppage, George Russell stayed out on hard tyres for the duration. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitted the team was unsure which strategy would prevail, with software favoring Russell's one-stop approach initially.

The decision to pit Antonelli came despite his tyres reportedly being in good condition. Wolff noted visible abrasion concerns on other cars, prompting the stop. Antonelli successfully returned to track and overtook Russell on fresher mediums, securing victory.

Russell expressed frustration post-race, believing he could have matched Antonelli had they stayed on identical strategies. He revealed he considered pitting during the VSC but ultimately trusted his team's approach. Wolff praised both drivers, acknowledging the strategy split was necessary given uncertainty around the hard tyre's performance characteristics.

The tactical divergence ultimately favored Antonelli, though Wolff emphasized the team's software had originally predicted Russell's one-stop strategy as superior.