George Russell, Mercedes (SP6, P4, 15 pts): 9/10
In a weekend that proved fairly disastrous for his Mercedes team mate, George Russell kept it together and delivered about the best that the troublesome W15 was capable of. He was sixth in sprint qualifying (while Lewis Hamilton missed the first cut) and held on to that spot in the race. He then did a remarkable job in Grand Prix qualifying to put himself on the front row of the grid on Sunday, from where he immediately succeeded in ambushing polesitter Lando Norris into the first corner. He might have won the race if not for Max Verstappen and the two Alpines staying out during the first safety car period and benefitting from a 'free' pit stop under the subsequent red flag. If Hamilton's trials and tribulations are anything to go by, Russell hugely outperformed his car in Brazil.
Pierre Gasly, Alpine (SP7, P3, 17 pts): 8.5/10
Pierre Gasly put in a solid performance throughout the weekend, top ten in practice and then delivering on 7th place on the sprint grid on Saturday. He looked to have been caught out in Sunday morning's wet qualifying where he ended up missing the final cut meaning he lined up in P13 as a result, but the afternoon conditions came to his aid. He and Alpine team mate Esteban Ocon both stayed out when most pitted under the first safety car, and a subsequent red flag came to his aid a few laps later. He was no match for Max Verstappen or Ocon in the final stint but he made sure he kept it on the road and out of attack range of George Russell, and it earned him his first podium since last year's Dutch GP on his 150th F1 outing.
