Verstappen wins as Mercedes stumble at Monza with Russell tyre mixup

Max Verstappen produced a dominant display at Monza on Sunday, but the weekend so far has been defined by headaches for Mercedes as rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Friday spin and George Russell’s qualifying tyre mixup left the Silver Arrows scrambling for recovery. Verstappen’s win overshadowed a day in which Russell finished fifth and Antonelli came home ninth after a five second penalty, leaving Mercedes short of its aims at the Italian Grand Prix.

Antonelli’s troubles began in second practice when he lost the rear of his W16 at Lesmo 2, slid into the gravel and beached his car, triggering a red flag and curtailing his running. The 19 year old conceded he had pushed too hard for the available grip but insisted his confidence remained intact, telling television crews that the team were moving in the right direction with the car’s setup and he would be ready to “deliver the best job” in qualifying.

The rookie also arrived at Monza under fresh scrutiny after last week’s Dutch Grand Prix, where an attempted pass on Charles Leclerc resulted in a collision that forced the Ferrari driver out and earned Antonelli a 10 second penalty. The Zandvoort incident prompted sharp criticism...