The British Grand Prix featured close racing between Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, impressive recovery drives by Valtteri Bottas and Daniel Ricciardo – and a shock development in the final few laps.
But F1 Fanatic readers rated it 6.6 out of ten, making this one of the less popular races at Silverstone over the last ten years. Here’s why.
We got some proper ding dong wheel to wheel battles, interesting strategies in play, and late race drama. No battle for the lead is disappointing but still solid.
Philip (@Philipgb)
A lively start and a good battle between Verstappen and Vettel. Vettel and Bottas was interesting for a while and then the excitement of the last two laps. Would have been better with a rain shower or two.
Ricciardo and Bottas both drove well coming through the field. I thought the win for Hamilton was a foregone conclusion though after the safety car restart.
Phil Norman (@Phil-f1-21)
Some typically tasty action between Vettel and Verstappen, and Bottas kept it interesting with his alternate strategy. Dramatic ending with both Ferrari’s suffering tyre failures, looks like a set-up related thing to me. Good race in my view.
James Brickles (@Brickles)
Ferrari’s troubles left some of you feeling deflated (sorry):
I think it was not much different from Austria to be honest. Just a little bit more action, like the fight of Verstappen and Vettel. But other than that, all other fights were heavily unequal. I don’t care about Bottas overtaking Haas mid-straight. And I can’t be bothered about Ricciardo driving by cars as if they are standing still. I want to see real fights, and other than Verstappen/Vettel, I haven’t seen any.
Then seeing a race result end due to car failure, tyre failure, whatever, I absolutely do not enjoy. It leaves a bad taste, especially when it happens in the final laps. Like Le Mans last year. I enjoyed the beginning of this season so much, with real fights between Mercedes and Ferrari. Fights for the win. That’s what I want to see. But yet again, Ferrari shows they are not competitive when it comes to in-season car development.
@Spafrancorchamps
Others felt the inevitability of the pit stops detracted from the action:
I’ve always found tyre strategy to be really dull and I’ve always hated seeing races decided in the pits via tyre/fuel strategy.
I want to see racing done on the track, i want to see overtaking done on the track so seeing them have to pit for mandatory stops and all that has always been a big turn off for me since 1994.
this race was looking good early on and it was purely down to pit stops that ruined this race as it killed the great on track fighting we were seeing beforehand and stung the field out which led to less racing from then on. same thing happens in IndyCar, good racing which green flag pit cycles always ruin.
RogerAyles
However Max Verstappen’s first finish in four races was good news for some:
Now I really noticed how we dearly missed Verstappen the last races. Adding some needed taste to the race.
Sethje (@Seth-space)
Rate the Race: The Twitter verdict
Those who attended the race found more to enjoy about it:
I don't have many things I enjoy so much, but #F1 is definitely one of those
— Orch. (@andreworch) July 16, 2017
That. Race. Was. Superb. #F1 #SilverstoneGP
— Bootdisk (@bootdisk) July 16, 2017
Would love to be a fly on the wall of the @ToroRossoSpy garage #BritishGP
— Dan (@LordWay69) July 16, 2017
Really enjoyed watching the #F1 #BritishGP today especially the drama in the last 5 laps. :)
— Daniel Johnson (@danthetrainman) July 16, 2017
The only way the #BritishGP could have gone worse for me was if someone got hurt. #F1 #fb
— Alex Crouch 🏴 (@Alex_Crouch_92) July 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/Jas_Thandi_SSC/status/886692743262633984
Silverstone showed its class as one of the finest GP circuits today. Now desperately need BRDC & Liberty to hammer out a deal post 2019 #F1
— Ian Campbell (@Ianthesunlover) July 16, 2017
"We all need to pull together and make sure SilverstoneUK stays!"
You heard the man! 💪 #BritishGP Vía MercedesAMGF1
— Mostacho Perez (@MostachoPerez) July 16, 2017
There just has to be a #BritishGP next season, fantastic race.
— Nicholas Tomley (@leroy_nick) July 16, 2017
Great weekend @ the #BritishGP throughly deserved win from Lewis. Crowd were amazing all weekend! Surely cannot lose this event!?!?
— Jack Williams (@Jack_Journo) July 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/JenRomance/status/886686781416116224
Finally caught the end of the F1 today, what a finish with the tyres, loving this seasons racing
— Laura Healey (@LauraJH55) July 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/bloodygraphites/status/886682908412530688
A great win for @LewisHamilton – the UK's preeminent sportsman currently – what a shame he doesn't get the praise he frankly deserves #F1
— George Dudley (@splendidred) July 16, 2017
Holy WHAT Is happening on this last lap at the #BritishGP??? @shiftf1podcast @dannyodwyer @drewscanlon
— Jesse Gamble @[email protected] (@jessegamble) July 16, 2017
#BritishGP had it all. @ValtteriBottas great race.
— Leigh Kinder (@leigh_kinder) July 16, 2017
Ferrari got boned today, good race tho #F1
— the terror of colorado boulevard (@godlrod2) July 16, 2017
Ferrari has been ever more on the backfoot vs Merc. I don't think we're in for an as thrilling 2nd half of the season as we'd hope #F1
— TheVillainF1 (@TheVillainF1) July 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/DammitTracy/status/886659337661202432
https://twitter.com/MrShaunWillett/status/886659278244724736
Just got to watching the #BritishGP, man what a tire nightmare for Ferrari =(
— Woger Wagger (@Woger_Dog) July 16, 2017
Just watched #BritishGP on @F1onNBCSports. Yes, HAM won, but really, he was the LEAST interesting story abt that race. Crazy ending. #F1
— Older Not Wiser (@Bikewriter) July 16, 2017
Just finished watching the #BritishGP. Crazy finish. Second half of season should be interesting. #F1
— Nicholas Roznovsky 🇺🇦 (@modernishfather) July 16, 2017
Moment of the race for me: Vettel vs @Max33Verstappen. Multiple WDC vs future WDC, hard but fair racing. #F1 #BritishGP
— Remy Bergsma (@remybergsma) July 16, 2017
Remind me not to watch F1 again, god it is boring. Club level racing is in a different league for entertainment and excitement.
— lee mcnair (@leeteg79) July 16, 2017
The #BritishGP was actually lit. Congrats to Hamilton. But Ferrari's strategy ruined the race for Vettel. Poor call today.
— Okum (@Daddypeerow) July 16, 2017
Well, who could've seen those tyre dramas all happening within 2 laps?! Almost as good as it could've been for @MercedesAMGF1 #BritishGP #F1
— Light Speed (@lightspeed65) July 16, 2017
What a crazy F1 finish. Wow
— VERSACE SAVATGY (@versacesavatgy) July 16, 2017
We are halfway through the season and no one has won back to back races…incredible! #BritishGP
— Fifetoyi (@fifetoyi) July 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/Hitman1094/status/886646047589548032
Just caught up with the race and bloody hell that ending was thrilling, I love Silverstone, never fails to disappoint #BritishGP
— 🍉 (@neebsd19) July 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/Y_FIH/status/886645210343776257
The race was very spectacular. What happened at the end.. was awesome. I have a little heart attack did not happen. #BritishGP #F1
— Indiana Green🇫🇮 (@heart_tatooine) July 16, 2017
Great victory today from @LewisHamilton OUTSTANDING drive! #F1 #BritishGP #SaveOurSilverstone #FIA @F1 @MercedesAMGF1 #LibertyMedia
— Christopher Davidson (@teestop) July 16, 2017
Keep the British Grand Prix at Silverstone #BritishGP
— Justin Dimodica-H (@justind703) July 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/EdVanTassell/status/886632633291096064
What a stunning #BritishGP today, good work by everyone at both Mercedes factories for giving Lewis and Bottas podium-worthy cars!
— Will Feavyour (@NextLevelMaths) July 16, 2017
Blinding #F1 race today, loved it #Silverstone
— Stuart Williamson (@Stuey_85) July 16, 2017
Another top weekend at F1, tomorrow normal service resumes
— Aaron Hart (@Aaronhart100) July 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/KarlisPauzers/status/886621173995405312
https://twitter.com/SportyPigF1/status/886620309939523585
https://twitter.com/thomastd40/status/886619847823466496
Button: 'on track the engines sound like slightly noisy hairdryers' #fact #F1
— rookief1 (@rookief1) July 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/ReallyMarek/status/886618854318891011
Awesome day at @SilverstoneUK for the @F1 today!
— Lorna (@louloufaz) July 16, 2017
2017 Rate the Race Results
Race | Average score |
---|---|
2017 Australian Grand Prix | 6.408 |
2017 Chinese Grand Prix | 7.534 |
2017 Bahrain Grand Prix | 7.957 |
2017 Russian Grand Prix | 4.900 |
2017 Spanish Grand Prix | 7.869 |
2017 Monaco Grand Prix | 4.936 |
2017 Canadian Grand Prix | 7.545 |
2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix | 8.790 |
2017 Austrian Grand Prix | 5.821 |
2017 British Grand Prix | 6.625 |
Rate the Race
View more Rate the Race results:
- Rate the Race: The F1 Fanatic Top 100
- Rate the Race: The F1 Fanatic Bottom 10
- Rate the Race: Circuit ratings
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2017 British Grand Prix
- 2017 British Grand Prix Predictions Championship results
- Dominant Hamilton wins Driver of the Weekend
- British GP rates below its average despite late-race drama
- 2017 British Grand Prix team radio transcript
- 2017 British Grand Prix Star Performers
Michael
20th July 2017, 16:52
so it was basically like last year, according to the rating. Shame little Max didn’t get a podium, but I enjoyed it.
GB.MadMax#33 (@gavinbiggs)
20th July 2017, 21:33
Agree about Max, Red Bull’s pit stops seem to be a major issue (remember Monaco last year?) in holding up podiums, real shame
Michael
21st July 2017, 10:35
A good pitstop wouldn’t have helped him. Ferrari was too fast after the pitstop.
Dan
20th July 2017, 18:31
A bit surprised by the low-ish rating. The GP had some good points throughout. I understand there was no battle for the lead but I’d still say it was one of the better races this season.
Jason Blankenship
20th July 2017, 20:58
Yeah it was boring, but most Hamilton wins are.
dan
22nd July 2017, 17:20
lol Ham has 3 wins in top 5
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
21st July 2017, 0:15
I’m surprised the race got a normal rating. It’s an average rating for this season, and the rating is in line with past British GP’s, that said I’d say this year’s race was more enjoyable than 2014, 2015 and 2016(in spite of the rain). Strange to see an Ham victory low on the rating, I guess it’s because this season it’s an inter team battle rather than an intra team battle.
ILuvSoundtracks (@)
21st July 2017, 5:45
The British GP won’t be at its peak again.
chris (@)
21st July 2017, 6:57
It’s not all about the battle at the front.
So many other battles and stories throughout the field.
Bottas had another steady drive rewarded by 2nd place.
The wonder of where and how blatant Ferrari would swap Kimi with Seb.
Sergio desperate to pass Esteban, yet Esteban needing to prove a point and the team needing solid points at their home gp.
Williams poor qualifying.
Silverstone announcing activating the break clause.
And many others.
As ever there is a lot of drama going on,
Don’t forget the race winner is still behind in the championship.
frood19 (@frood19)
21st July 2017, 8:59
like many longer circuits, modern silverstone races suffer from the low lap count. it’s good to have the odd longer circuit (old hockenheim and spa would be enough) and the odd shorter circuit (interlagos, austria and monaco) but i think GPs should be between 60 and 70 laps. there are far too many races that are <60 laps these days.
the problems with this are manifold – fans at the track see the cars much less, the cars go through the cool bits (fast corners, passing places) less often, there are fewer back markers creating potential obstacles for the leaders, there is less room to play around with strategies, and the race is often shorter in overall time as a result. all of these things are worse for the 'show', the sponsors.
as for this race, the DRS effect was too strong on the hangar straight (this is a well worn moan). i feel like there must be some way of calculating how powerful it's going to be and then adjusting the activation point. it worked quite well on the shorter farm(?) straight before brooklands (or whatever that corner is called now)
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
21st July 2017, 10:25
Ham win was to easy, to straight forward to make it fun.
Rules about gearbox and engine penalties need to be changed.
dan
22nd July 2017, 17:24
@jureo With Hamilton’s starts he probz gets minumum 3rd or probs 2nd in Aus, remember he had a penatly aswell there. Ham should be in the lead. He has also stole poles from Vettel in Catalunya this year and Australia. Vet should have been on pole two more times. Ham been far a better qualifyer
dan
22nd July 2017, 17:27
Ham has also had a very bad weekend in Russia but you cannot deny Vet is going off the boil, Kimi is a corpse these days and Kimi qualified 2nd in silverstone
Pjotr
22nd July 2017, 10:33
Guess Pole position up to number 4 should start at the back to make it more interesting.
dan
22nd July 2017, 17:28
Vettel qualifying been subpar, Ham has stole 2 poles from him
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
23rd July 2017, 6:05
In a faster car.. Article speaks of driver performance.