Carlos Sainz (SP2, P2, 25 pts): 9/10
Carlos Sainz was looking distinctly fired up this weekend on F1's return to active duty in Texas. He was quickest out of the box in practice but underperformed in sprint qualifying where he ended up P5. He confronted his team mate Charles Leclerc in the race and forced his way past the Monegasque before picking off Lando Norris to put him second behind Max Verstappen. In the race he started Sunday's Grand Prix from third and came in for an early pit stop that could have backfired, but he made it work. It moved him ahead of Norris and Verstappen to clinch P2, albeit 8.5s behind Leclerc who had started behind him but ran longer after taking an early lead at the start.
Charles Leclerc (SP4, P1, 30 pts): 9.5/10
Ferrari looked like a threat from the start of the Austin weekend when Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc topped free practice. They would have been miffed to miss out on the front row for the sprint race, and Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz spent much of the first half of the short race vying over third. Leclerc lost that one and was also second best in the Ferrari qualifying battle for Sunday's main event. Ironically, P4 put Leclerc into the ideal position to ambush the duelling Lando Norris and Max Verstappen for the lead, after which Leclerc was unassailable at the front for the rest of the afternoon in a brilliant drive that will have done wonders for his confidence and his spirits..
