Second part of my Formula 1 2017 Season Review, this post will includes my top 10 Formula 1 drivers of 2017. And my final thoughts of Formula 1 2017.
Starting of with My Top Formula 1 drivers of 2017, this is the part who was in my top 10 this season, not in championship order, not in championship order, so his list doesn't includes the likes of Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa or Lance Stroll to name a few, its just only opinion folks.
Anyway, here is my list below.
My Top Formula 1 drivers of 2017:
10. Carlos Sainz, Jr. (Toro Rosso/Renault) - Some impressive performances, which include a fourth place finish at Singapore.
9. Nico Hülkenberg (Renault) - Consistently fast and some impressive drives at Barcelona, Silverstone, Spa and Abu Dhabi; includes a sixth place finish at Silverstone finishing on the lead lap.
8. Sergio Pérez (Force India) - Consistently fast and reliable this season, which include a fourth place finish at Barcelona.
7. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) - On his day faster driver than his team-mate Vettel, which includes two second place finishes at Monaco and Hungaroring, if team-orders wasn't in place he would have won them both.
6. Esteban Ocon (Force India) - Consistently fast and reliable in his second season, which include two fifth place finishes at Barcelona and Mexico.
5. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) - Some impressive drives despite an underpowered car includes a Grand Prix win at Baku.
4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - Some impressive drives in his third season and despite his still only 19!, which includes two Grand Prix wins at Sepang and Mexico.
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) - On his day faster driver than his team-mate Hamilton, which includes three Grand Prix wins in Sochi, Red Bull Ring and Abu Dhabi in his debut Mercedes season.
2. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) - Five Grand Prix wins, lead the Drivers' Championship for most of the season until Monza, needs a much faster and more reliable Ferrari going into 2018 to challenge both titles'.
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) - Best driver on the grid this season, nine Grand Prix wins, no DNF's, to concluded with his fourth Drivers' World Championship.
Overall, possibly one of the most entertaining seasons in modern era Formula 1, a season for Mercedes had to fight to win both champions as Ferrari were contenders to both titles. In the end Mercedes once again took all the glory taking twelve out of twenty wins and four one-two finishes to conclude winning their fourth F1 Constructors' Championship in a row.
For the Drivers' Championship, a Drivers' Championship that Sebastian Vettel should have won until Singapore where his championship fell apart with two DNFs in three races did cost him. As for Lewis Hamilton who won his this seasons Drivers' Championship with nine wins and no DNFs this season becoming the third Formula 1 world champion to that achievement to give Lewis Hamilton his fourth F1 Drivers' title and becoming the first British F1 driver to win Four Drivers' Titles to conclude Formula 1 in 2017.
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.
So last weekend (1-3/12/17) was the annual Monza Rally Show and two main drivers who was at the Rally was current Yamaha MotoGP rider and nine times Motorcycling champion (seven MotoGP/500cc champ, one time 250cc champ, 125cc champ) Valentino Rossi, and current Hyundai WRC drivers Andreas Mikkelsen and Thierry Neuville who are sharing one car.
So the Rally itself, the final results saw Yamaha MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi won this years Monza Rally Show in his M-Sport spec Ford Fiesta RS WRC.
Second was Andreas Mikkelsen and Thierry Neuville in their Hyundai i20 WRC, they were six seconds behind Rossi at the end. Meanwhile, Marco Bonanomi finished in third place in his Citroën DS3 WRC, he was eight seconds behind Rossi at the end.
Here's a YouTube video of some of the Show's highlights from last week.
Review of Round One of the 2017-18 Formula E season held the Hong Kong Central Harbourfront Circuit in Hong Kong, for two races that weekend.
On Saturday's race, that was won by DS Virgin Racing driver Sam Bird in his Spark-Citroën. Second was Techeetah driver Jean-Éric Vergne in his Spark-Renault, he was eleven seconds behind Bird in the end. Meanwhile, third was third was Mahindra Racing driver Nick Heidfeld in his Spark-Mahindra, he was twelve seconds behind Bird in the end.
Highlights of the race below, enjoy.
While in Sunday's race, that was won by Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler driver Daniel Abt in his Spark-Audi. However Daniel Abt was later disqualified of his victory over technical breaches.
So therefore, Mahindra Racing driver Felix Rosenqvist took the race win in his Spark-Mahindra. Second was Venturi Formula E Team driver Edoardo Mortara in his Spark-Venturi, he was seven seconds behind Rosenqvist in the end. Meanwhile, third was Panasonic Jaguar Racing driver Mitch Evans in his Spark-Jaguar, he was eleven seconds behind Rosenqvist in the end.
Highlights of the race below, enjoy.
Next stop, Round Two of the 2017-18 Formula E season in Marrakesh, Morocco for the Marrakesh ePrix in six weeks time.
It was confirmed on Saturday morning (2/12/17) that Sauber F1 team will retain Marcus Ericsson for the 2018 Formula 1 season. While, Formula 2 Champion and Ferari Adacamy driver Charles Leclerc will make his Formula 1 debut with the team next season, confirming the teams 2018 line-up.
With the main news on Wednesday (29/11/17) that Sauber announced that they have signed a multi-year technical and commercial partnership contract with Alfa Romeo, therefore the team will be renamed to Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team for the 2018 season onwards.
Ferrari-backed Leclerc had been widely tipped to graduate to Formula 1 in 2018 with Sauber, having winning this seasons Formula 2 title in his rookie season with the Prema team; received multiple practice and test outings through the second half of 2017 with Sauber
Leclerc who is 20, will be replacing Pascal Wehrlein (who more than likely return to the DTM series next season), will partner Ericsson, who will be driving his fourth season for the team. While, Antonio Giovinazzi who replace an injured Wehrlein for the first two Grands Prixs' at the start of the F1 season, will take up a reserve role with Sauber next season, and is set to partake in selected FP1 sessions throughout the season.
Leclerc becomes Monaco's first driver on the Formula 1 grid since Olivier Beretta, who raced for Larrousse during the 1994 F1 season.
Sauber will return to using current-spec Ferrari power units next season and on Wednesday confirmed that it had reached a multi-year technical and commercial deal with Alfa Romeo.
Alfa Romeo, part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, of which Ferrari chief Sergio Marchionne is the CEO, will act as title sponsor, marking the brand's return to Formula 1 for the first time since the 1985 F1 season.
Overall, its the not the right decision for Ericsson to stay at Sauber for another season, I would have retain Pascal Wehrlein who scored more points then Ericsson this season or even promoted Antonio Giovinazzi instead.
As for Charles Leclerc, this is not a big surprise this news happen. It has been strongly rumoured since the Hungarian Grand Prix in August that Leclerc will step up to Formula 1 with Sauber, which is truly deserve in my opinion.
Anyway, good luck for both Marcus Ericsson and Charles Leclerc next season at Sauber.
It will be Stroll's debut in prototype sports car racing. Stroll will race in Prototype class with a Oreca 07 alongside Robin Frijns, Daniel Juncadella and Felix Rosenqvist.
For Lance Stroll is the big advantage there is no Formula 1 racing or testing in January.
Review of the final round of the 2017 World Touring Car Championship season was the Race of Qatar, at Losail International Circuit, north of Doha, Qatar for WTCC's only night race of the season.
In the opening race, Sébastien Loeb Racing driver Tom Chilton took the race win in his Citroën C-Elysée WTCC and also took the WTCC Trophy win. Second was Sébastien Loeb Racing driver Mehdi Bennani in his Citroën C-Elysée, he was two seconds behind Chilton in the end. While third was RC Motorsport driver Kevin Gleason in his Lada Vesta WTCC, he was six seconds behind Chilton in the end.
While in the main race, Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team driver Esteban Guerrieri took the race win in his Honda Civic WTCC. Second was ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport driver Rob Huff in his Citroën C-Elysée WTCC and also took the WTCC Trophy win, he was Guerrieri seconds behind Huff in the end. While third was Polestar Cyan Racing driver Nicky Catsburg in his Volvo S60 Polestar TC1, he was seven seconds behind Guerrieri in the end.
Finally, Polestar Cyan Racing driver Thed Björk finished in fourth place in his Volvo S60 Polestar TC1, he was seven and half seconds behind Guerrieri in the end; fourth place was enough for Thed Björk to win this seasons WTCC drivers’ title. Contractions to Thed Björk for winning this years title.
And so this years champions in WTCC, WTCC Drivers' Champion: Thed Björk. WTCC Manufacturers' Championship: Volvo Polestar. WTCC Drivers' Trophy Champion: Tom Chilton. And WTCC Teams' Trophy Champions: Sébastien Loeb Racing.
