Esteban Ocon (P14, Lap 57, Collision): 7/10
Despite the interruptions and inclement weather, Esteban Ocon had been making progress in the right direction during the three free practice sessions - P16, P6, P3 - but in qualifying just missed out on transferring to the final top ten pole shoot-out round. He started from P11, and was in the process of enjoying a strong opening lap but was asked to pit under the safety regime. By lap 27 he had turned that around to a net gain of one place and was running just inside the top ten, set to be part of a double points finish for Alpine. And then the penultimate restart took place, and he and team mate Pierre Gasly managed to take each other out leaving them painfully empty handed when so much more had been in the offing. "Pierre came back on the track, didn't see me and pushed me against the rail. It's like that: a big missed opportunity," he sighed. Let's see how team harmony recovers in Baku.
Pierre Gasly (P13, Lap 57, Collision): 7.5/10
Pierre Gasly was the fastest of the two Alpine drivers in first practice but then sank behind his team mate and 'frenemy' Esteban Ocon for FP2 and FP3. He had the last laugh in qualifying when he made it all the way through to the final round and picked up a solid ninth place on the grid for Sunday's race. He benefitted from Charles Leclerc's early exit and from the timing of the red flag for Alex Albon's accident, and after the restart he was up to fourth place. Obviously there was little he could do about Carlos Sainz passing him on lap 25 but after that it looked like he was on cruise control to P5 - until the second red flag and the restart that saw him crash into Ocon, taking both cars out of the running and what would have been a solid points haul. "For us to be so close to scoring ten points and leaving without any is a bitter one for us to take," he said. "I'm glad both Esteban and I are okay after the incident. As a team, we'll move on and keep focused."
