Kimi Antonelli aids George Russell during qualifying at Italian Grand Prix

During qualifying for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix on September 5, Mercedes directed Kimi Antonelli to provide a slipstream tow for teammate George Russell. Antonelli, who faces a grid penalty for the race, prioritized assisting Russell over his own qualifying performance at Monza. The team strategy encountered interference on the out-lap when Max Verstappen attempted to wedge his Red Bull between the two Mercedes cars. Antonelli maintained his position as instructed to ensure Russell received the aerodynamic benefit. Despite the effort, Russell missed pole position by 0.060 seconds, placing behind Pierre Gasly. The tactical maneuver was a reciprocal action following Russell's assistance to Antonelli at the Dutch Grand Prix.

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