Yuki Tsunoda (P8, 4 pts): 7/10
The jury is still out on just how long Yuki Tsunoda's tenure in Formula 1 will prove to be - even he looked somewhat surprised to be retained by AlphaTauri after a very hit-and-miss rookie season in 2021. But he's certainly started his second campaign in a commendably solid fashion, and he opened his 2022 account in the top ten in first practice. Unfortunately he was put on the back foot when his AT03 developed an apparent hydraulic issue at the start of FP3 which meant he didn't complete a single lap, accounting for his inability to make the first cut in qualifying later in the day. But he soon put that behind him with a brilliant start to the race itself, picking up four places on the first lap and then dispatching Alex Albon on lap 5. After the first round of pit stops he fell in behind Esteban Ocon in 11th place. At the restart following a safety car for his team mate Pierre Gasly's fiery finish, he passed Mick Schumacher and then benefitted from the Red Bull debacle to emerge in a very creditable eighth place.
Esteban Ocon (P7, 6 pts): 7.5/10
Esteban Ocon made an immediate impression on the first race weekend of the season, when a piece of sidepod bodywork from the Alpine became detached at the start of FP1 and trigged the first red flag of 2022. Fortunately no one seemed very concerned about it and the car was soon fully dressed again and back out on track. However Ocon didn't seem fully on the pace at this early stage and didn't trouble the top ten in practice of qualifying, although he made it through to Q2 and only narrowly missed progressing to the final round. Starting the race from 11th, he made up one place before settling into 10th behind his team mate Fernando Alonso. He finally passed the former world champion on lap 38 and had just made his final scheduled pit stop when the safety car came out on lap 46. At the restart he wasn't able to make a pass stick on Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas, but the late exits of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez did hand him two bonus places by the time he crossed the finish line.
