Esteban Ocon, Alpine (SP13, P2, 18 pts): 8.5/10
The best bet on how Alpine would fare on Sunday was that they might squeak a point or two. No one had both Esteban Ocon and team mate Pierre Gasly finishing on the podium at the end of a gruelling rain-hit 69 laps. But Ocon had made the most of a wet qualifying session to secure fourth on the grid, and staying out when the rain fell rather than diving into the pits did the rest. All Ocon had to do was not throw the chance away with an accident, and he proved a safe pair of hands. It certainly made up for a rather less compelling sprint race the day before.
Max Verstappen (SP4, P1, Fastest lap, 31 pts): 10/10
Max Verstappen has been in something of a slump in recent months, not having claimed a win since Spain. It's allowed Lando Norris to whittle away at his lead in the championship. It looked like we were on for a real nail-biting finish to the season. But in Brazil, Verstappen sprang to life and we got the old Max back, the unstoppable force of nature. He had a solid time in the sprint race but looked to be in an impossible situation on Sunday, with a stumble in qualifying and an engine change penalty putting him P17 on the grid. What could he do from there? Well, win the race thanks to the wet weather, an amazing first lap start, and gambling on not pitting when the rain intensified. It was the performance of a master champion and another highlight of his stellar career.
