F1
Verstappen ruins Antonelli's slipstream for Russell: 'He cost us pole'
Mercedes planned to use Kimi Antonelli, who had a grid penalty, to support George Russell during qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix. According to the team, this strategy failed because Max Verstappen significantly disrupted Russell's preparation for his decisive lap. Mercedes claims Verstappen's actions cost them pole position, with the team stating, 'He cost us pole.' The incident occurred during qualifying at Monza, and the team expressed frustration over the interference, which affected their tactical approach on 2026-09-05.
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