Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes (P2, 18 pts): 9/10
There was clearly something about the cold nighttime conditions of Vegas that suited the Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton had been quickest of anyone in both of Thursday's practice sessions, while George Russell was top in FP3. The pair cruised through the first two rounds of qualifying, but while Russell duly took pole the wheels came off for Hamilton after a mistake left him in P10 for the race. That seemed to spark him into life and after a quiet opening few laps he was soon carving his way through the cars ahead: Nico Hulkenberg on lap 6, Oscar Piastri on lap 8, then Yuki Tsunoda, Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly before the pit stops started. He stayed out until lap 13 and was rewarded with a lap at the front before making his stop, and then enjoyed a calm middle stint before finishing his ascent to second place on lap 32 after pitting for a second time. It was a peerless performance for Hamilton: if he'd started on the front row alongside Russell in the first place it's hard to see how he could have failed to win - or not deserve a perfect ten in these ratings.
George Russell, Williams (P1, 25 pts): 9.5/10
Did George Russell put a foot wrong all weekend? He was in the top three in the first two practices and wast quickest of all in FP3, giving him confidence heading into qualifying. He was quickest again in Q1 and still in the top three behind Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz in Q2. Hamilton messed up his Q3 runs, while Russell held his nerve to finish a tenth ahead of Sainz to clinch his fourth F1 career pole. The question was, could be hold it together in the Grand Prix? He could, and he did, with such ease that his command of the ensuing 50-lap race went almost unnoticed. Hamilton brought some drama after the final pit stops with his charge cutting into Russell's huge lead, but the tyre wear eventually called time on that. Hamilton had to settle for second while Russell cruised to his third F1 career win and second of the season. "Overjoyed" doesn't do his post-race reaction any justice. We suspect that any training limits on alcohol consumption were well and truly exceeded.
