Sergio Perez (P4, 12 pts): 8/10
Last week in Vegas, Sergio Perez could blame the team for a mistimed run programme that cost him a chance of making the final cut in qualifying. This time Perez made it all the way through to Q3, but it was very much his own fault when another track limits violation cost him his fastest lap time and dropped him to ninth place on the grid for Sunday. He got caught out by Lewis Hamilton at the start of the race, but snatched it back on lap 3 and then marched his way past Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso, showing a similar bullying assertiveness that his team mate Max Verstappen is so good at pulling off. But it also got him into trouble, with contact with Alonso and later Lando Norris on lap 47, as the pair tangled over fourth place. He was handed a five second penalty for the collision which would prove crucial: Perez had to dart past George Russell and far enough away to negate the penalty. Despite a unusual helping hand from Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc, he couldn't quite manage it. Perez was unhappy with the penalty and had some harsh words for the stewards, which got him in even more trouble after he stepped out of the cockpit.
George Russell (P3, 15 pts): 9/10
Even though he later revealed that he hadn't been feeling very well this weekend and was coughing several times a lap during the race, George Russell actually looked to be thoroughly enjoying his time in Abu Dhabi. Quickest of anyone in FP1 and FP3, he sailed through to the final round of qualifying while his team mate Lewis Hamilton stalled at the end of Q2. He found himself in a papaya sandwich on the grid and lost out to Lando Norris at the start, but then had the opportunity to dispatch Oscar Piastri on lap 11 before successfully undercutting Norris during he first round of pit stops. That moved him into a potential podium spot behind Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc which was what he needed to ensure Mercedes would hold on to the runners-up spot in the constructors' championship ahead of Ferrari, so the pressure was on for him to keep it. Unfortunately he could only watch with horror as Sergio Perez blasted past in the closing laps, and it seemed that the prize was lost. But Perez had incurred a five second post-race penalty from colliding with Norris, so as long as Russell could stay in touch he'd get P3 back in e final classification. Despite a helping hand from Leclerc, Perez couldn't quite pull out the gap he needed, so the glory went to Russell and Mercedes after all.
