F1 | Report cards of the 2017 season: pass and fail of the last intense world championship

MERCEDES 10

The greatness of knowing how to dominate by giving the false illusion of being a magnanimous, vulnerable, human mistress. The difficulties with the tyres, the idiosyncrasy with the most tortuous tracks, all doubts and uncertainties swept away with the attitude and arrogance of those who know too much to really miss yet another double world championship triumph. It's still Formula Mercedes, and never like this year has it been a resounding hammering on the family jewels for the opponents.

Lewis Hamilton 10 cum laude When it seems like you just can't put two good races together, distracted, perhaps surprised by the competitiveness of your long-awaited rival. The reaction was overbearing, ruthless, like a true cannibal. After the numerous derbies with Rosberg, Luigino emerged, appearing outside his comfort zone, exalted by a world championship duel which saw him as the fabulous winner, giving the impression of having really put his all into it. An almost impeccable, certainly implacable Hamilton, to whom very little criticism can be made. The winning ride against the most famous rival, the fourth world championship has a particular flavour.

Valtteri Bottas 8 The "winter soldier” who doesn't complain, doesn't create internal problems, devoted body and soul to the mission. He had to help Hamilton and so he did. He had to take points away from the competition and contribute to the victory in the Constructors' Championship and that's what happened. Prototype of the second efficient driver, the Finn wins three races and drives for the team, without dreaming, without enchanting, but honestly earning his keep.

Ferrari 9

The Arabian phoenix that rises again after the disastrous 2016 is also the illusion broken at the most beautiful moment, Icarus who inexorably falls to fly too high, but does so after having touched firsthand a dream that has been missed for too long and then well, well done, BIS. Because the emotions were there, red, glowing, real. And they had been missing for a while.

Sebastian Vettel 9 Five wins, four poles. Passionate leader and champion, romantic and tireless dreamer, his beautiful world championship can be summed up in three snapshots: the tightrope walker's overtaking in China on Ricciardo, emblematic of competitiveness; the improvident spin in Hamilton, because even the best get nervous every now and then; the Kemmel air wall; the true end of hopes before the Asian triptych, a km of frustration and all too indicative of the real values ​​on the field. Vice champion and so on, but the German is a team man and a precious driver, who will know how to keep the Cavallino banner high.

Kimi Raikkonen 7 He had been missing seven podiums in a season for a while, his contribution to the red cause is that of an elderly champion loyal to the cause. He actually gives up the victory in Hungary to cover Vettel's back, he doesn't argue with the team for the failed success in Monte Carlo. Aware of his role, a fundamental pawn for harmony and balance in the team, but on the track on more than one occasion he shows a little too much amnesia. Consistency is not his strong point, but overall he has no demerits.

RED BULL 8

Adrian Newey's creation grows over distance, and still manages to close the world championship with three victories. However, the good year to break the world always seems to be the one after. 2018 will tell us if Milton Keynes is a luxury position or can the top team of a few years ago really return.

Daniel Ricciardo 9, At times the best of 2017 in terms of performance. A string of podiums that would make the title contenders pale, alternating with great comebacks from the bottom. Spectacular in overtaking, perfect in managing the single-seater, free from driving errors. A small decline in the last races, where Verstappen's explosion "suffered" a bit...

Max Verstappen 9 Pure talent and freshness, combined with that genuine arrogance that will make the balls spin, but at least excites. He literally sends Vettel to the mental hospital in Mexico, he has no awe of Hamilton in Malaysia, he keeps his foot down like a maniac, but even in extreme maneuvers he shows off unparalleled technique. The stigmata of the predestined, for pure speed, is probably already unrivaled. Two victories and daring races, the future promises to be spectacular (and a lot Orange).

FORCE INDIA 8

The small Anglo-Indian reality is the perfect example of the criteria of good administration. Economy, effectiveness, efficiency. Fourth place in fluency, behind the sacred monsters, is worth a world championship. With the courage to field two spirited drivers to say the least.

Sergio Perez 7,5 He preferred Hulk. Because the Frenchman alongside him is a tough nut to crack, very fast and with a great desire to show off. In the end, Checo wins, with few sensational performances, but with the consistency of a finished driver. A certainty.

Esteban Ocon 8 It surprises with speed, consistency and performance. Rookie, eighteen times in points in twenty races, with the merit of putting an old fox like Perez into crisis. He also impresses with his competitive wickedness; in fact, the Frenchman does not hesitate to go toe-to-toe with his sister car, with the team having to intervene several times to arrange rules of engagement more suited to two teammates. But it's a miracle!

WILLIAMS 5

With the arrival of Paddy Lowe and the Mercedes power unit, something more than a fifth place was expected, more than a hundred points behind Force India.

Philip Massa 6,5 Fished out at the last minute to act as a mother hen for the very young Stroll. He contributes with dignity to the Williams championship, but gives the idea of ​​driving automatically, by profession, and certainly not by impulse. At the end of the year he said goodbye to the company for the second time.

Lance Stroll 6,5 Harassed by criticism, because he was rich enough to be able to afford a Williams, it must be said that the Canadian boy "trained" by Baldisserri during the season made giant strides, moving from initial uncertainties to increasingly convincing races. He brings Williams to the podium, he is often more competitive than Massa, the growth is actually exponential and encouraging. He's not just a pilot with a super suitcase...

Paul di Resta 6 Called in a hurry to replace Felipe Massa in Hungary, the Scotsman returns to F1 – albeit only for two days – after four long years. And he proves that without the tons of rust accumulated on him he would still be a gentleman pilot...

RENAULT 5,5

It is close to sufficient for a timid step forward compared to 2016 and for a sixth place which is more of a hope for the future than a real "goal". Even if they celebrated it in Enstone, having to sweat like hell to get the better of the little Toro Rosso.

Nico Hulkenberg 7 Renault is him. His great qualifications, excellent points-scoring races, but also a lot of bad luck and an image of a "class attacker" from which year after year it becomes increasingly difficult to break away.

Jolyon Palmer 5 A constant disappointment saved at the last useful race with the almost surprising sixth place of Singapore. Furthermore, it was a fundamental result in Renault's final balance sheet

Carlos Sainz 7,5 Ninth place in the championship, trailing Toro Rosso. He escapes to Renault and the debut in the States is very positive, with seventh place. From there two retirements and eleventh place in Brazil. But he contests his real championship in Faenza, and it is a great championship.

RED BULL 5

Seventh with regret, because she lacks the strength (and perhaps the concrete possibility...) to defend sixth place in the Constructors' Championship. Drivers' politics are a headache, revolving doors are of no use, on the contrary they only create damage. Unforgivable mistake to let Sainz slip away with just a few matches to go.

Daniel Kvyat 6,5 He doesn't have Sainz's pace, but he runs an entire year with a sword of Damocles over his head, and it's no coincidence that he was torpedoed after scoring in the points in Texas. He is a strong and still young driver, who must be given serenity and trust, the opposite of what the Red Bull group has done in the last two seasons.

Pierre Gasly 5,5 Fuoriclasse in pectoris for now only in words. Five apprentice races without infamy and without praise, but that spin in Abu Dhabi…

Brendon Hartley 5,5 Endurance champion, twenty-eight years old, a highly skilled driver, called to race in F1 when he no longer believed in it. The few races are a hell of grid penalties and technical problems, but he is fast enough to earn confirmation for 2018.

HAAS 4,5

A team with indecipherable potential, they always seem to lack the famous penny to make a penny. Eighth place cannot satisfy those who entered F1 with very different expectations.

Romain Grosjean 6 Eight points-scoring races, very good in Austria (6th, the best race of the season) and Belgium (7th), but also a few too many missed passes and that annoying habit of complaining about everything on the radio. In 2016 he had shone more, a little flattened.

Kevin Magnussen6,5 More discontinuous than Grosjean, he however has the merit of having a combative and generous approach. A pure racer, at times he truly seems like a racer from another era, thrilling with his ability to throw himself headlong into duels that seem impossible. Accused by some colleagues (Hulkenberg, Alonso) of going over the top due to his maneuvers, the Viking Kevin gives us one of the most beautiful and "real" overtaking of the season, the one he made against Felipe Massa in Suzuka. He knows how to entertain.

MCLAREN 3

Rating three like the disastrous years with Honda of which we will only remember Fernando Alonso's self-sacrifice and sarcasm. Unspeakable disaster.

Fernando Alonso 8 Indomitable lion, guarantee of absolute quality, he just couldn't do more than a single impromptu "play" (the lap in qualifying, the "garra" in close-quarters duels). The only sore point is the too many controversies and skirmishes with Vettel. They don't do justice to the champion that he is.

Stoffel Vandoorne 7 Collects the heavy legacy of Jenson Button; throughout the season he shows important signs of growth, showing excellent things in Malaysia and Japan. He loses the comparison with Alonso, but he doesn't look out of place at all, considering that he is a rookie thrown into the fray in a team that is, to say the least, abandoned. It will be curious to see it at work with the Renault engine.

Jenson Button 4 “Forced” to return to Monte Carlo to replace the American Alonso. He sadly ends his only game by dangerously ramming Wehrlein at the goalkeeper's corner.

SAUBER 4

He runs without any pretense, for the honor of signing. Twice in the points with Wehrlein, but it is unthinkable to be able to defend with year-old engines. The agreement with Alfa Romeo is a glimmer of light.

Pascal Wehrlein 6,5 He is the misunderstood one, the young driver from the Mercedes school whose potential is not yet clear (which actually seems rather discreet), nor why the big boss Wolff doesn't fully believe in him. The fact is that an eighth (Spain) and a tenth place (Baku) with the worst Sauber ever are not enough for him to stay in F1.

Marcus Ericsson 6 Zero points, but he's tough, he fights, and he often manages to get the better of the more popular Wehrlein.

Antonio Giovinazzi 6 The mistakes in China are the litmus test of the complexity of F1, where if you don't have support even a legitimate mistake in the wet ends up canceling even the grandiose debut in Australia, where - catapulted into a car from nowhere - the Italian finishes in twelfth place racing like a veteran.

Antonino Rendina

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