Part 1 of Formula 1 2017 Season Review (the teams)

Two parter Formula One season review of the 2017 season. In this post I will review each team of 2017. Which, I will say one sentence that will be positive with each team. And one sentence that will be negative for each team. So starting with Mercedes below.

Mercedes:
+ As you were from 2014, 2015 and 2016; Best car and drivers on the grid with the W08 EQ Power+, Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, with 15 poles, 12 race wins, a Constructors' Title and a Drivers' Title with Lewis Hamilton.
- Poor performance at Monaco; apart from that a great season for Mercedes.



Ferrari
+ Impressive performance from Sebastian Vettel; which includes five wins, that includes two one-two finishes in Monaco and Hungaroring with Vettel leading from Kimi Räikkönen.
- SF70H was fast throughout the first half of the season, second half different story, double DNF at Singapore, a DNF each for Räikkönen at Sepang and Vettel at Suzuka cost the team to win the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships' this season.



Red Bull:
+ Impressive performance from Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen includes a race win for Ricciardo in Baku, and two race wins for Verstappen.
- The Renault Power-Units are still around 50-60bhp less than the Mercedes power-units; RB13 is not strong as thought and also reliability has cost Verstappen podiums this season; also down to third in the constructors' standings from second last season.



Force India:
+ Some impressive performances from Sergio Pérez and Esteban Ocon this season which include fourth and fifth finish at Barcelona, once again finishing fourth in the constructors' is still a massive achievement for Force India despite having the littlest budget on the grid.
- The Force India drivers' colliding with each other has cost the team big points this season, includes podiums in Montreal and Baku and points at Spa.



Williams:
+ Some great performances from Felipe Massa and Lance Stroll this season, which includes podium for Stroll in Baku.
- The FW40 been too slow and underdeveloped this season means fifth in the Constructors' was the highest achievement for Williams this season; once again Felipe Massa leaves the team at the end of the season, no second driver has been announced yet, could it be the return of Robert Kubica?



Renault:
+ Multiple sixth place finishes for Nico Hülkenberg this season, ninth in the Constructors' last season, sixth in the Constructors' this season a much better improvement from Renault.
- Sacked Jolyon Palmer after Suzuka, replaced him with Carlos Sainz, Jr. for 2018; could've finish fifth in the Constructor's standings only for Renaults' Power-Unit's failing them going into latter half of the season.



Scuderia Toro Rosso:
+ Some impressive performances from Carlos Sainz, Jr. this season which include a sixth place finish at Monaco and a fourth place finish at Singapore.
- Sacked Daniil Kvyat after Austin, Sainz, Jr. moved to Renault after Suzuka and Renaults' Power-Unit's failures at the latter half of the season cost Toro Rosso sixth in the Constructor's standings; oh well Honda Power-Units for Toro Rosso next season.



Haas:
+ Some impressive performances from Romain Grosjean this season which include a sixth place finish at the Red Bull Ring and much improve points tally 47 points compare to 29 points in 2016 in their second season from Haas.
- Double DNF at Melbourne with mechanical problems cost Haas sixth in the Constructor's standings, however its still an over-achievement for Haas team to finish in eighth place in Constructor's standings.



McLaren:
+ Some great race performances from both Fernando Alonso, which include a sixth place finishes for Alonso at the Hungaroring.
- Still, Honda power-unit are still round 90-100bhp behind of the likes of Mercedes power unit; and the thirsty (and still unreliable) Honda power-units has not helped the team getting points this season, managing only ninth in the Constructor's standings with 30 points; meant McLaren are splitting from Honda in 2018 replacing with Renault Power-Units for the next three years.



Sauber:
+ Some impressive performances from Pascal Wehrlein this season which include a eighth place finish at Barcalona; Alfa Romeo technical/sponsorship coming in next season.
- Still last in the Constructor's standings despite scoring five points this season, also sacking former Team Boss Monisha Kaltenborn in mid-season hasn't helped the team nor what Power-Unit deal going into 2018 with the cancellation of the Honda deal to remain with Ferrari power till 2020.



In part 2 of Formula 1 2017 Season Review my top 10 Formula 1 drivers of 2017. And my final thoughts of Formula 1 2017.