Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin (P16) – 5/10
The veteran Spaniard’s hopes dissolved almost immediately after opening-lap contact with Albon clipped his Aston. Operating with compromised aerodynamics for the rest of the race, Alonso soldiered on to sixteenth. He wrung out what little performance remained in his damaged car, but there were no miracles on offer in Austin.
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin (P15) – 5.5/10
Starting from the pit lane after setup tweaks, Stroll faced an uphill struggle in a green car that was severely lacking downforce. He kept his nose clean, cleared the backmarkers, and picked up a few spots as others ran into trouble. Hardly inspiring, but a tidy enough effort given the starting point.
