Welcome to our 2017 Austrian Grand Prix review, in point form just the way you like it, and Jolyon Palmer doesn’t.
Some of the below was originally posted at the Fox Sports Academy, but we needed to keep our tally going for the year.
So here is our 2017 Austrian Grand Prix review of the good, bad and ugly.
THE GOOD
VALTTERI BOTTAS
The Finn did what he has to do when Lewis Hamilton has an off weekend. Takes Pole, dominates the race from the front, and took a great win, the second of his career.
He looked in control throughout, even after a slow pitstop (by F1’s standards), and once Kimi Raikkonen took his first pit stop, was never headed. He did come under pressure from Sebastian Vettel, but dealt with it calmly and got a deserved victory.
A great result and drive to give his current bosses plenty to think about when deciding on drivers for 2018.
DAN RICCIARDO
Outqualified his team mate for a change and the first time in 5 races since the Russian Grand Prix. A great start saw him challenge the Ferraris and ultimately get past Kimi Raikkonen in a forceful move which saw him running in third place for the first part of the race.
It was a position he held onto until the end of the race, but had to hold off a fast charging Lewis Hamilton at the end, who almost got past on the second last lap.
Another podium for the Australian, five in a row, who has finished in the top three in every race since Spain.
SEBASTIAN VETTEL
Qualified second, but ahead of Lewis Hamilton, even before the 5 place grid penalty was applied. Job done in Qualifying.
Finished 2nd, and pushed hard for the win late in the race, but ultimately couldn’t get past the Finn. Extended the lead of the World Championship. Job done in the race.
Importantly, stayed out of trouble after his controversial Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and after a warning from the governing body about what lies ahead for any future trouble. Job done for the season ahead.
ROMAIN GROSJEAN
A strong qualifying saw him line up 7th on the grid, and earned the title of best of the rest. The Frenchman comfortably ran at the front for the first part of the race, spending most of it in 6th place before the first pit stops. He was well off the pace of the front runners, losing just under a second a lap, but still headed the rest.
Got the coveted Best of the Rest double as he finished 6th ahead of the Force India and Williams cars.
THE BAD
MAX VERSTAPPEN
Beaten by his team mate and spinning in Qualifying, a poor start in which it looked like he almost stalled, and just a few hundred metres later he was the innocent victim when Dani Kvyat ran into Fernando Alonso who ran into Max Verstappen. He didn’t even get around the first lap before he had to park the car. It is safe to say it was a bad Grand Prix for the young Dutch flyer.
After 5 Retirements in the last 7 races, most of them not his making, his 2017 is fast fading away. He has been quicker than his Australian team mate more often than not, but that will matter little when Ricciardo gets the podiums and wins that Verstappen wants.
LEWIS HAMILTON
Copped a five place grid penalty for a gearbox change, and then only qualified third which dropped him back into the danger zone of the midfield and potential first corner incidents. Whilst the Briton managed to avoid the Verstappen-Alonso contact , he was stuck behind a Force India and a Haas early which cost him time.
By lap 15 he was 16 seconds behind his team mate, and more than 10 behind Vettel. A win looked unlikely, as was a chance to get ahead of Vettel, which saw the championship deficit increase.
He ultimately chased Ricciardo hard for the final podium spot, and almost looked like stealing it on the second last lap but Ricciardo held his nerve. The comeback drive was impressive, but ultimately it was no podium and lost points to Vettel again.
WILLIAMS
Lance Stroll was on the podium in Azerbaijan in a race that his team mate Felipe Massa could have won if not for a mechanical issue. A few Austrian Grands Prix ago Williams locked out the front row. And the Austrian track suits the Williams. You could say hopes were high going into this weekend’s race.
Qualifying 17th and 18th was not quite the result they were chasing, and even admitted they were unsure why they were not fast enough.
They took advantage of the first corner mayhem to lie 9th and 10th after the start. And finished in those positions, but it was not the result they were chasing on a track where they have been much quicker than the Red Bulls in the past.
DANI KVYAT
The Russian driver disappointed many, many Dutch fans of Max Verstappen by causing the accident which ended the Red Bull driver’s race as well as Fernando Alonso. Ran around at the back after that.
Will need a great result soon to keep his seat at Toro Rosso or convince another team that he warrants another season of Formula One.
FERNANDO ALONSO
Just when he was looking slightly competitive, he is taken out at the first corner. One can only hope he gets a car capable of getting himself out the midfield for next year. A supreme waste of talent.
JOLYON PALMER
So close to a point, and had a much better race than a lot of his efforts in 2017 so far, but the news of former Renault driver Robert Kubica getting another test can’t be great reading for the already struggling former GP2 Champion.
UGLY
GRID PENALTIES
The penalties for changing Engine and Gearboxes are designed to stop Team’s wasting millions of dollars, but it is such a shame that it costs the drivers.
A few ideas were suggested throughout the Austrian Grand Prix broadcast, and all are worth investigating to ensure the best drivers are in the grid positions they deserve whilst attempting to keep reliability high.
RED BULL DRIVER RUMOURS
Could get ugly in the Red Bull family after reports that a Red Bull driver leaked to the press that Max Verstappen wants out to go to Ferrari. Although you can’t blame Max after the recent run of retirement. Coincidentally Carlos Sainz announced he couldn’t see himself in a Toro Rosso next season, so he earns an ugly point too. News to them as he is contracted. The blame for the leaked rumour was laid at the feet of the Spanish driver.
KIMI RAIKKONEN
Nothing has gone Kimi’s way since taking Pole in Monaco. Despite having the lead at one stage he’s looking every bit a number two at Ferrari. And the boss is on his case. And there’s a load of drivers waiting for that seat for 2018.
MARTINI-CHAVES MEDAL FOR GURGLER BEST/WORST OF THE YEAR
Here is where we tally up all the good, bad and ugly for the season.
- 1 Point for Good
- 1 Point for Bad
-0.5 for Ugly
There are bonus points as below. Drivers/Teams listed below have received a good and/or bad-ugly. Those with an overall score of 0 have had good and bad. Those not listed have been mediocre and been neither good or bad all season.
ULTIMATE WINNERS AND LOSERS
Here’s where an extra bonus point is added and subtracted for the very best and very worst. Plus a valuable one point for the Free Practice hero of the weekend, to the driver that got a chance to shine where they normally never get the chance to in big sessions.
WINNER – Valtteri Bottas. Great Pole, Great Win. Controversy will die down over his perfect start, and by then he could still be in the hunt for the title.
LOSER – Max Verstappen. Yet another retirement after being wiped out on lap One. Add to that he was outqualified by Ricciardo for the first time in a while. Plus the rumours swirling about unhappiness at Red Bull/.
FREE PRACTICE HERO – KEVIN MAGNUSSEN – Fast in P2 and P3, couldn’t quite turn it into Qualy gold like Grosjean.
2017 MARTINI-CHAVES MEDAL FOR GURGLER BEST/WORST OF THE YEAR
DRIVERS
5.5 Points – Sebastian Vettel
4.5 Points – Valtteri Bottas
3.5 Points – Lewis Hamilton
3 Points – Fernando Alonso
3 Points – Sergio Perez
3 Points – Felipe Massa
2.5 Points – Dan Ricciardo
2 Points – Kevin Magnusson
1.5 Point – Lance Stroll
1 Point – Esteban Ocon
1 Point – Pascal Wehrlein
1 Point – Jenson Button
0.5 Point – Carlos Sainz
0.5 Points Max Verstappen
0 Points Romain Grosjean
-1 Point – Dani Kvyat
-1 Point – Marcus Ericsson
-1 Point – Antonio Giovanazzi
-3.5 Point – Kimi Raikkonen
-4.5 Points – Jolyon Palmer
TEAMS
2 Points – Force India
1 Point – Ferrari
0 Point – Toro Rosso
0 Point – Mercedes
0 Points – Haas
-1 Point – Renault
-1.5 Point – FIA
-1.5 Point – Red Bull
-2 Point – Williams
-2 Point – Sauber
-6 Points – McLaren