Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac (P16) – 5/10
Simply reaching the chequered flag felt like a victory for the Finn after a dismal streak of retirements. Sadly, that is where the good news ends. His Cadillac remains fundamentally sluggish, and after the early chaotic shuffling subsided, he naturally gravitated toward the back of the queue. He desperately needed a late Safety Car restart to salvage something, but the race directors denied him the chance.
Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes (P15) – 8.5/10
Cruel luck denied the young Italian what looked like a nailed-on podium, if not a maiden victory. Having snatched pole, he was executing a brilliant strategy until a freak wheel shield failure wrecked his aerodynamics. Despite driving a wounded animal and racking up track limits penalties in desperation, his raw speed before the disaster proved he belongs at the absolute front of this grid.
