Daniel Ricciardo (P4, 12 pts): 7.5/10
After his spectacular success picking up victory in Monza last time out, it looked like it was Daniel Ricciardo's turn to play a supporting role this weekend as his McLaren team mate Lando Norris comprehensively outpaced him in practice and then pulled off a thrilling maiden pole position on Saturday, although Ricciardo also did well to take fifth place for Sunday's race. The start of the Grand Prix saw him get the jump on Lewis Hamilton but his net position was unchanged as Lance Stroll had got the better of them both: "My start was kind of too good! I had to pull out and then pull back in, so we lost a few positions there, but then made a few back over the first lap." When the pit stops kicked in, Ricciardo found himself once again part of a McLaren 1-2 at the front of the grid - it's shocking how quickly we're already getting used to that scenario! - but his own stop on lap 22 dropped him out of the top ten entirely. He was soon on the march with passes on Esteban Ocon and George Russell as well as getting back around Stroll, and by lap 37 he was back into the top four. He was passed by Sergio Perez just as the rain started to fall, and he sacrificed track position for an emergency set of intermediates unlike Norris who tried to tough it out at the front. It paid off, showing that an old head is sometimes what you need in these situations: "It was a little too late. I just missed the podium, but P4 is a solid result."
Carlos Sainz (P3, 15 pts): 9/10
With his Ferrari team mate Charles Leclerc compromised by a back row start this weekend as a result of engine changes, it was up to Carlos Sainz to carry the team's colours and earn as many points as possible to help them in their ongoing battle with McLaren in the constructors championship. Seventh quickest in both of Friday's practice sessions, he was easily through to the final round of qualifying when drying track conditions gave him the opportunity to take advantage of an early switch to slicks that paid off handsomely with a front row starting position - narrowly missing out on a maiden podium to his former McLaren team mate Lando Norris. The run into the first corner at the start of the race allowed Sainz to get the jump and take the lead, but after 12 laps the Ferrari was struggling with tyre graining and had no way of resisting the MCL35M flying past him down the back straight, much to Sainz' frustration. New tyres put him back in the game and by lap 37 he was into third place behind Norris and Lewis Hamilton, which was likely as good as he could have been hoping for today. The rain then started to fall and Sainz joined Daniel Ricciardo, Max Verstappen and others in slithering onto pit lane for inters, and when the water spray settled he was back on the podium in time for the chequered flag. "With the used hard [tyres] it was clear to me we needed to box for inters and together with the team we made the right decision at the right moment, regaining P3."
