Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin (P14) – 5/10
Alonso, the evergreen maestro at 44, navigated the opening skirmishes with his usual flair, only for an early pit call to maroon him in midfield molasses, eking out P15 in a procession that whispered more of weariness than wonder. Flashes of that 2012 magic surfaced in his qualifying scrap, but race day drifted into siesta territory – defenses dug deep, yet the spark felt subdued. Stir the pot, Fernando; the grid still bows to your brilliance.
Carlos Sainz, Williams (P13) – 6/10
Sainz, Williams' smooth operator, was threading the needle of Lap 1 lunacy when a contact with Hamilton damaged his car’s front wing and underbody, resulting in a significant loss of downforce. Still, defensive poise kept interlopers at bay, blending precision with that unhurried Spanish swagger, even as the Grove machine grumbled. No flash, just tidy trundling within his wounded car’s means.
