What did you think of today’s race? Share your verdict on the United States Grand Prix.
Since 2008, F1 Fanatic has held polls on every F1 race to find out which fans thought of each round of the season.
Join in the latest poll and give your verdict on the race: 10 being the highest and 1 the lowest. Please vote based on how entertaining and exciting you thought the race was, not on how your preferred driver or team performed.
What were the best and worst moments of the race? What was the main thing you’ll remember about it? Rate the race out of ten and leave a comment below:
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This poll is now closed. The United States Grand Prix received an average rating of 7.7 out of ten.
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2017 United States Grand Prix
- 2017 United States Grand Prix Predictions Championship results
- 2017 United States Grand Prix team radio transcript
- 2017 United States Grand Prix Star Performers
- Hamilton only needs fifth – but we’ve heard that before…
- “Can you tell Esteban to let me by?”: US GP team radio highlights
Debates and polls
- Will Alonso win a world championship title with Aston Martin?
- How long should Red Bull give Ricciardo to prove he’s not lost his touch?
- Were stewards right to penalise Alonso over his driving before Russell’s crash?
- Are Williams right to bench Sargeant so Albon can race after crash?
- Is the FIA right to make ten seconds the new standard for penalties?
Strontium (@strontium)
22nd October 2017, 21:41
Very good race with great driving from almost everyone. Just a shame that once more a promising chance for a battle for the win amounted to nothing. 8/10
Strontium (@strontium)
22nd October 2017, 21:44
Also, I was disappointed by how badly track limits were enforced. Corner cutting and track extending was ridiculous
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
22nd October 2017, 21:48
This. Completely arbitrary. Lots of drivers went off the track constantly. Only when it mattered do the stewards act. Disgusting.
Egonovi
22nd October 2017, 22:10
Same stewards as Mexico last year (really).
MrBoerns (@mrboerns)
22nd October 2017, 22:10
@strontium @hahostolze Well yeah, ideally they’d all been penalised. But there’s a difference between going off track on corner exits here and there and the likes and just BLATANTLY SHORTCUTTING through on a direct rival. Look at the replay, he didn’t even touch the inside of the kerbs lying outside the tracklimits. It would have been a massive travesty to not act on this. That is simply cheating.
sethje (@seth-space)
22nd October 2017, 22:24
He was ON the kerbs with his left wheels. Open your eyes and look again.
MrBoerns (@mrboerns)
22nd October 2017, 22:43
https://youtu.be/dXBJ9g1RUFk?t=14s Hardly ‘on the kerbs’
MrBoerns (@mrboerns)
22nd October 2017, 22:44
@seth-space
Hemz Shaw (@hemzshaw)
22nd October 2017, 22:58
The video evidence is good enough to say he already cut corners.
sethje (@seth-space)
22nd October 2017, 23:14
Your right.. he was on the inside of the kerbs. Not like Bottas action on Ricciardo where he totally left the track meters and stayed ahead. Or the action of Sainz on Ocon where he to put 4 wheels over the line.
So rules should be the same for everyone.
And if he would have hold his line ( as he was entitled to do being before Kimi) he would have touched Kimi who did not saw him coming.
Michael Brown (@)
22nd October 2017, 23:54
@seth-space Track limits are defined by the white lines, not the kerbs. The kerbs are used to define the edge of the track if no white lines exist, like Monaco.
MrBoerns (@mrboerns)
23rd October 2017, 0:06
seth-space care to go to the 10s mark then? You clearly see him steering straigth through the runoff while BEHIND Kimi. And yes i totally agree that Bottas was in the wrong as well. Still, avoiding being overtaking still is one thing. Simply shortcutting to GAIN a position is well and truly beyond all grey areas one could possibly imagine.
Aldoid
22nd October 2017, 22:11
I agree. I have absolutely no complaints about the race except them arbitrarily enforcing track limits.
Dom (@3dom)
23rd October 2017, 0:02
All they have to do is penalise drivers when they abuse track limits. If drivers get penalised then they will stop abusing them. These drivers are ace, they can easily do it. It’s yhe inconsistency that’s the issue. The penalty was correct in isolation though.
Pete (@petey84)
23rd October 2017, 0:04
Until they start tearing up the painted tarmac and replacing it with grass this will just keep happening again and again.
Ronald
23rd October 2017, 0:07
Amen.
Charles King (@charleski)
23rd October 2017, 0:56
Yes, the race got 8/10. Unfortunately Gary Connelly incurred a late penalty which brought the race’s score down to 4/10 and it got dragged out of the room. Would have been sad if not for the fact that a farrago like this was on the cards from the moment they announced they’d be deciding track-limit penalties on an ad-hoc basis.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
23rd October 2017, 22:55
I rated it 10. Yes it hurts that when Ferrari actually got a chance to win Merc and Lewis were on top form. It’s true that Merc are really really strong on s2 on the braking and the straights but there was a little bit of a fight for the lead and racing all race. Good racing all round, don’t like the track ambiance but I have to hand it, probably best dry race of the season.
Jere (@jerejj)
22nd October 2017, 21:41
A rather exciting race actually, better than I was expecting. Not better than the 2015 edition, but definitely better than last season’s one. One of the best of the season so far.
Mashiat (@mashiat)
22nd October 2017, 21:42
8/10. Was certain it was going to be a bit of a borefest after Hamilton overtook Vettel early on. The first pit stops gave a bit of hope, but it was extremely dreary for the middle part, but the last part of the race was pretty great. On another note, gosh I love the determination of the Red Bull drivers! Maybe Raikkonen and Bottas can learn a bit from them.
Dom (@3dom)
23rd October 2017, 0:08
@mashiat how can a race that has a dreary section be an 8/10? Btw I also gave 8/10 but I appreciated the whole of the race, in that I thought there were battles throughout and found intrigue in the unfolding strategies. There would have had to have been a longer battle for the lead to gain a 9 or 10 for me (Bahrain 2014 is still my personal yardstick)
glynh (@glynh)
22nd October 2017, 21:43
8. Some great racing throughout with good overtaking.
nmsi (@nmsi)
22nd October 2017, 21:43
Gave 9 as it had fight for the lead, miraculous recovery, heartbreak retirement and fight for all around the field. This is as good as it gets.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
22nd October 2017, 21:47
@nmsi perfectly summed up, and the same reasons I too gave it a 9.
Great fights all through the order.
Max. What a driver.
Matheus Ramos (@jedimaster9)
22nd October 2017, 21:44
That’s a solid 9 chaps!
Tom
22nd October 2017, 21:50
+1 best race in ages. Really good on track overtakes and defensive driving. Tension in the strategy and wondering how it will all turn out. Fantastic !
Mashiat (@mashiat)
22nd October 2017, 21:44
Well, that move by Verstappen at the end was absolutely brilliant, but in the end, most certainly illegal, so I reckon the 5 second penalty was fair enough. Although it looks as if he maybe could have gotten away with staying on-track as KR moved away, although he couldn’t have guessed that.
Lee1
22nd October 2017, 22:49
I disagree. Either you can go off track or you can’t. It is ludicrous that some drivers are allowed to leave the track and yet another does it and they are punished! In my view, let the drivers leave the track but ensure the tracks are designed to make it detrimental to do so. The last time I can remember a top place being decided like this was interestingly also against Kimi… Hamilton in 2008 when he left the track, gave the place back but was then given a 25 second penalty. He was punished for leaving the track not for gaining an advantage. These things have to stop. Either every driver is punished for leaving the track or every driver can leave the track without punishment.
Mashiat (@mashiat)
23rd October 2017, 7:11
Drivers were allowed to go off the track this race, but overtaking off the track still remains illegal, which is exactly what Verstappen did
Bart
23rd October 2017, 8:27
The point is that Kimi started to move in and Max could not know if he would keep on moving in, like he did in Spa 2016 first corner… In the end Kimi did not, but if he had this was all Max could do to avoid him.
This is a section of 4 apexes to the right forming one big corner. Cut one apex then you compromise the next one.
Max would have preferred not cutting the corner for better speed. It is the ‘and gaining an advantage’ part that is missing here.
bull mello (@bullmello)
22nd October 2017, 21:44
Best race of the season. Great battles all the way through.
I love this track. The sets of S turns really lend themselves well to some excellent back and forth battles like we saw today.
Plus, in this race we had actual battles for the lead between race leaders and championship leaders.
Dom (@3dom)
23rd October 2017, 0:11
@bullmello I love this track too, the fact that you can battle down the straights and also the slow sections is imo rare, and for this reason I find it difficult to understand why others criticise it
Mashiat (@mashiat)
22nd October 2017, 21:45
That Mercedes engine is so unbelievably powerful.
HUHHII (@huhhii)
22nd October 2017, 21:45
1/10 because of constant corner cutting and track limit violations
Kevin
22nd October 2017, 22:18
Don’t blame the track or the race. Blame the enforcers. I think they were vastly inconsistent and if you don’t call the others, don’t mar the race like that. We’ll remember for the controversy and not the great racing.
TurboBT
23rd October 2017, 10:26
haha, good one.
John H (@john-h)
22nd October 2017, 21:46
Great race in part due to the variety of tyres on display. Ditching the two compound rule is proving to be the right decision. Verstappen awesome today.
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
22nd October 2017, 21:47
0/10 because of the last lap decision. Utterly ridiculous.
Tom
22nd October 2017, 21:48
Oh come on. So one decision makes everything else terrible too ?
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
22nd October 2017, 21:52
Took away all my enjoyment, like the crucial Jenga piece
Egonovi
22nd October 2017, 22:16
There is more to a race than just Max !
I hope you’re joking (and 0 is not even possible).
But 2 fans (?) did give this race a 1.
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
22nd October 2017, 22:41
Nah I didn’t vote. Just venting.
Kevin
22nd October 2017, 22:21
I agree. Lewis is my #1 guy, and as an American, that ending took away the whole race for me. I couldn’t even focus on the podium because I was fuming. The way racing goes in America, you don’t let the fans believe they didn’t see the race results the way they saw it with their eyes as the cars cross the line. It is not a way for F1 to get a second race in America if you leave the fans in doubt.
Patrick (@paeschli)
22nd October 2017, 22:07
Everyone here hates it, but it’s a fair one.
Gave it a 7. I usually don’t like these designed to degrade tyres but they actually gave us a fantastic ending after a pretty boring middle part of the race.
JCost (@jcost)
23rd October 2017, 7:47
It was sad, but was fair.
juan fanger (@juan-fanger)
22nd October 2017, 21:49
Great race. Pity about the commentators bagging everything about F1.
magon4 (@magon4)
22nd October 2017, 21:52
Shameful, shameful decision on Max.
Still, a great F1 race, highest level, great track. 9/10.
Man of the Day: Max!
David Searle (@searlo)
22nd October 2017, 21:55
Stoked to see Hartley bringing it home in a respectable 13th.
Antz (@antznz)
22nd October 2017, 22:32
Agreed! Shame he got stuck behind a Merc powered car, good show though for the first weekend in a single seater for 6-7 years. Hopefully we are seeing him again next weekend as has been hinted at..
Blaize Falconberger (@)
22nd October 2017, 22:00
can I change my score – was 9 now 6…
Mashiat (@mashiat)
23rd October 2017, 7:13
@timeslides You do not vote based on how any particular driver did, just purely on the entertainment of the 56 laps.
Bart
23rd October 2017, 9:54
I thoroughly enjoyed the race and the first 5 minutes after it.
Michal (@michal2009b)
22nd October 2017, 22:02
Despite Hamilton cruising away it was a really good race that I enjoyed very much! There hadn’t been so much wheel-to-wheel for a long time. The layout is fantastic and allowing for that. Overall, the F1 wanted to make it a signature event and they delivered. Liked pre-race introductions as well!
joe jopling (@jop452)
22nd October 2017, 22:03
That’s a 9 from me
Plenty of everything from the front to the back…Vettel tried his hardest…..Bottas was only average…Sainz looked good…and Max was outstanding……have just seen his demotion to 4th….F1 stewards hang your heads in shame….pandering to Ferrari????
Ps not a huge fan of the driver intros…hope it’s just USA
PMR
23rd October 2017, 12:00
The funny thing was he actually called Kvyatt ‘The torpedo’ :)
joe jopling (@jop452)
23rd October 2017, 13:00
Last I heard Danny doesn’t like being called the torpedo…..it wasn’t given to him as an affectionate term
C
22nd October 2017, 22:07
9: a lot of wheel to wheel racing all across the grid. Too bad Alonso had to retire making this his 2nd retirement in US this year alone.
James (@jimbo0070)
22nd October 2017, 22:07
The verstappen decision was understandable. He overtook with all 4 wheels off the track, happens all the time and drivers usually give the place back or are instructed to. Yes other drivers were going off all the time, but not overtaking in doing so.
sethje (@seth-space)
22nd October 2017, 23:17
Yes they did.. look at Sainz on Ocon or the defending form Bottas on Ricciardo.
MacLeod (@macleod)
22nd October 2017, 23:29
Or the move Max did on Botas give place back and attack right after that.
Philip (@philipgb)
22nd October 2017, 22:07
Not quite the title deciding 10/10 I might have hoped for but COTA yet again demonstrating how well designed for wheel to wheel battles it is.
That last minute decision though sullies what should have been a spectacular result. I can understand the 1/10 protest votes some will make, but going with my head it’s still an 8/10 race. To hell with the stewards.
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
22nd October 2017, 22:08
Gary Connely the steward who gave the penalty. Also the man who did the Suzuka protest for Merc last year, remember that? Clearly not a fan…
Markos
22nd October 2017, 22:17
…. And Mexico last year…
GT Racer (@gt-racer)
22nd October 2017, 22:22
@hahostolze
No one steward makes the decision.
There are 3 stewards as well as the ex-driver, All of them analyze incidents using a series of angles, telemetry, GPS, timing data as well as the ex-drivers input & a decision is made based on the majority vote.
Kevin
22nd October 2017, 23:44
I find it hard to believe that move was discussed and decided in that short of a time frame.
bosyber (@bosyber)
23rd October 2017, 6:56
Thanks for providing that perspective @gt-racer, I dislike the penalty, but do not want to follow Red Bull in making it about a single person, that is wrong.
The issue remains those asphalt run offs and how to properly control the track limits; I do think FIA has work to do there.
I really like this track though, but it would be even better for F1 with some more grass or gravel here and there.
Bart
23rd October 2017, 10:08
Sometimes one steward does force a decision.
Gary Connelly wanted to penalize Max for his defensive move in the last lap of Japan 2016, but the other 3 stewards saw no fault in it and outvoted him.
Gary would not have it. He went to Mercedes and told them to file a complaint, and so they did – though Lewis and Toto had already left the track and were not known in the decision to appeal. When they found out they withdrew the appeal.
I find it hard to believe that Gary is still impartial concerning decisions affecting Max.
ChrisJ (@chriju0411)
22nd October 2017, 22:15
This race came back to life after a rather dull middle part. Proof there that what it takes to spice things up is cars under different conditions at different race phases and strategic options. The fact that Austin actually makes overtaking possible helped a lot in contrast to most other venues where teams basically have to opt for fewer stops in favor of track position if there is not a big enough pace advantageto be gained.
Concerning VER’s penalty: we never know what’s been agreed on in the Drivers’ Briefing where regularly the track limits are discussed prior to the first session. So I assume running wide in the corners we saw drivers do it in was declared legal there. That’s not a valid point or fair comparison to critisice the steward’s decision concerning Max’s last lap overtake.
Dom (@3dom)
23rd October 2017, 0:17
@chriju0411 I can’t understand people calling the middle of a race dull when it’s blatantly obvious that it’s essentially the build up to the crescendo at the end of the race, that’s how I see it anyhow, a game of chess, position your pieces then strike
bosyber (@bosyber)
23rd October 2017, 6:59
@3dom well said about the middle part, I was full of anticipation, seeing it build to a great end; gave the race a 9 out of 10.
Understeer (@abdelilah)
22nd October 2017, 22:15
7/10 Good but not great or exceptional, nice drive by Sainz, Max got what he deserved pushing the limit too far once more.
Murph (@)
22nd October 2017, 22:41
Lol, have you watched the race? Everybody should have been penalised for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. And worst of all, decisions like this are ruining this sport, especially in the USA.
Spawinte (@spawinte)
22nd October 2017, 22:16
Really enjoyed the race itself. Could have done without the NFL style gimmickry and militaristic nationalism beforehand.
Kevin
22nd October 2017, 22:24
That’s not NFL style. That is all sports in the US.
Mike
23rd October 2017, 0:18
Don’t hate back to back world War champs!!!!!!!!!!!!
Puzano (@puzano)
22nd October 2017, 22:20
Max wasn’t very nice in front of the dutch TV. Regarding the steward.
Miltiadis (@miltosgreekfan)
22nd October 2017, 22:20
I voted for 10,one race that really got me excited & my favorite driver FINALLY had a clean race.Today we saw how different tyre strategies can create an exciting race!Realisticly the race was for an 8/9,as we didnt have a fight for the lead & 2 drivers that could spice the things up DNFed pretty early(Alo & Ricciardo)…But still,its one of the best if not the best race of the season!The last 20 laps showed what F1 should be:clean wheel to wheel racing between the top 3 teams.
Duncan Snowden
22nd October 2017, 22:23
You’d think that after the ’05 débacle, the FIA might try not to aim at their feet when they’re in America.
Kevin
22nd October 2017, 22:27
My thoughts exactly. Not how you get a 2nd race in the US with the stewards marring the finish. In America we believe the fans saw the race finish as they saw it in person with their own eyes. We don’t take kindly to taking positions away for clean passes. This is the land of “the pass in the grass.”
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
22nd October 2017, 22:34
Dat intro, get ready to Rummmmbleeeeee! +1 on the grade just for that.
Other than that, it was quite rewarding to watch. It had everything battle for the lead, overtake on the start, overtake for the lead, w2w racing, finally Verstapen for third on the end…
Only shame Hamilton yet again had more pace, the likes of which was just to much for Seb.
If they stayed toggether we’d have an even more epic race.
Dom (@3dom)
23rd October 2017, 0:20
@jureo I think that if Vettel hadn’t had the issues in FP2 he would have had better race pace and the fight for the lead may have been closer, although I think we would have had the same result
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
23rd October 2017, 5:34
Yes, Vettel would have to do a lot better. Lewis had pace in hand.
Murph (@)
22nd October 2017, 22:37
Such a great race, to be utterly destroyed, once again, by the stewards. I can’t vote, because 0 isn’t an option.
Do they want F1 to become great in the USA, or what.
Jay Menon (@jaymenon10)
22nd October 2017, 22:38
Great race. Got a bit draggy in the middle, but Max’s pitstop really brought back life into the final third.
Shocking decision by the stewards at the end, that was a helluva pass by Max, he didnt really have anywhere else to go, Kimi was drifting in!
This is pretty simple, please FIA, make a stand for once. If track limits are to be respected, then thats the law, black and white, there can be no ifs and buts.
Hemz Shaw (@hemzshaw)
22nd October 2017, 22:54
@jaymenon10 they are only penalizing when there is a track position in question. I do not know if others took advantage of cutting corners while gaining track positions. By that extension, fans of Bottas can take an offense in VER running him wide out of the track, even though he slowed and gave the position back but did not do enough to let him by. If stewards start ruling on everything, then sure it will be penalties all over the race.
Hence, it is right decision if he did indeed cut the corner. To be fair, in the heat of the moment, Max may not have realized he cut corners. But if he did, then well, he deserved to be penalized.
Nico (@powell)
22nd October 2017, 23:55
A driver always gains a track advantage by cutting a corner (shortens the track distance) so there should be no argument about enforcement of this rule. Otherwise, let racers race and do away with the smartless rear wing DSR slot device, that is just an excuse for bad design and engineering, talk about artificial.
Dom (@3dom)
23rd October 2017, 0:26
@hemzshaw if the deleted times for track limits from the start of practice then drivers wouldn’t abuse them (they generally avoid the walls in Monaco for the reason that not doing so is catastrophic)
Hemz Shaw (@hemzshaw)
23rd October 2017, 0:59
@3dom I agree, that something different needs to be done to bring in consistency in stewardship.
Hemz Shaw (@hemzshaw)
22nd October 2017, 22:50
I would have rated 9 but for the disappointment at the podium to not see VER and him being told at the last minute – his doing if stewards are right. Already read a lot of comments saying others also breached track limits, his doing was while overtaking against a competitor, and hence deserves the penalty. Feel sad for VER, then again, may be it was his fault and stewards being really strict.
Brilliant race, one that kept me on the edge across the board. Notable mentions to RAI and VET for their excellent move on BOT, OCO for his overall race performance (and holding SAI unlike PER), SAI for his brilliant debut, and last not least HAM for his win.
Rick Lopez (@viscountviktor)
22nd October 2017, 22:55
Really entertaining race. Good battles and drama throughout the field. USA always delivers.
Shrieker (@shrieker)
22nd October 2017, 23:03
That was an OK race, I think it gets a well earned 6.
sato113 (@sato113)
22nd October 2017, 23:41
8/10. Shows what 1 vs 2 stop strategies can do to spice up a race. Degrading tyres are entertaining! get them back!
Michael Brown (@)
22nd October 2017, 23:58
7/10. The middle part was dull, but the first and final thirds of the race were great. This track is one of the best of the recent additions to the F1 calendar, and I hope it stays for a long time.
Sainz on Perez is the overtake of the year, perhaps the overtake of this track for me.
Hemz Shaw (@hemzshaw)
23rd October 2017, 1:23
Ain’t that spectacular as compared to Vettel… sandwiched between Bottas and Vandroone. @mbr-9
Aldoid
23rd October 2017, 4:52
+1. That was awesome. Bottas never saw it coming.
Murph (@)
23rd October 2017, 8:17
@mbr-9 Lol, that move where he went completely off track and gained a position?
Michael Brown (@)
23rd October 2017, 11:39
@murph Sainz didn’t leave the track when he overtook Perez, you’re thinking of Ocon.
Mort Canard (@motoduc250)
23rd October 2017, 0:24
I would hate to see it become standard to play the national anthem of the host country between the reconnaissance and the formation lap just to force the spectacle onto the world feed. I am betting that Liberty Media (who is just to the right of Genghis Khan politically) won’t pull that same stunt in Mexico. We will see next week.
Pjotr (@pietkoster)
23rd October 2017, 7:47
To all 80.000+ Dutch F1 Fans. DON’T GO TO SPA 2018!
Lotus49 (@lotus49)
23rd October 2017, 8:43
Only five. The sport is being uined by the stupid grid penalties. K MAG qualified 20th, was given a three place grid penalty, and started 18th, because there were so many naughty little boys with new bits on their cars, who needed to be punished. The 5 sec penalty give to Max Verstappen was a joke. Even Kimi was surprised.
Dan Ricciardo’s engine blow is a double edged sword. His disappointment at a DNF will be compounded in Mexico by a massive grid penalty. Grid penalties spoil the racing and distort the results. SCRAP THE PENALTIES.
McF1 (@mccosmic)
23rd October 2017, 10:01
I gave this a 7. Would have been an 8 if it hadn’t been for Verstappen’s penalty.
I want to see racing and ambitious overtakes. I do not want to hear a Formula 1 track being compared to a football field because it is totally irrelevant and misleading.
These guys are driving at 200mph trying to pass each other. They’re not kicking a bag of wind about, period.
Gary
23rd October 2017, 10:12
If Max had reached over and stuck his hand over Kimi’s carburetor and choked-off the engine (an old karting gag) while going through that corner would that have been OK as well?
JohnBt
23rd October 2017, 11:01
Good race, worthy for 8/10.
The introduction of drivers was really strange like some wrestling match LOL!
Hope it’s just for the US race. It felt very outdated.
Alex (@arobbo)
23rd October 2017, 12:18
I gave it a 7 as Max’s penalty at the end was unfair given nearly everyone ignored track limits.
Awesome drives by Max still and Sainz is proving he deserves even better machinery, though I’m sure Renault will be back up front soon.
Lewis has his 4th title in the bag and while I don’t like him as a person, he’s deserved it more than Seb has based on his Qualifying performances alone.
joe jopling (@jop452)
23rd October 2017, 13:05
Having had a look at twitter..there are many photos of other cars all off the circuit at various places…only Max was penalized….and to get a penalty point as well….These Stewards are inconsistent and rubbish…..the F1 Fanatic site should start a petition for max to be reinstated….
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
23rd October 2017, 14:30
7/10.
I am again a little surprised that this race has received such high marks. The start was exciting for a few laps but then it became pretty dull for the middle half of the race. It would have been a 6 then. The last 10 laps though were quite exciting and it was good to see a great battle for 2nd/3rd/4th.
I thought the stewards were quite picky yesterday in general as there were two or three incidents that were reported as being under investigation when most people and the commentators even, didn’t notice anything had happened. So I guess the penalty for Max was not a real surprise. I thought it was harsh to begin with but when taken in contact with other track limit penalties this year on other circuits, then perhaps not.
ILuvSoundtracks (@)
23rd October 2017, 14:45
9/10. The final laps were so intense.
PJA (@pja)
24th October 2017, 18:51
I rated the race a 7.5
I thought it was a good race with action throughout most of the race.
Hamilton had been quickest all weekend and was the favourite going into the race but when Vettel took the lead at the start, I thought that he stood a good chance of keeping that position for quite a while and maybe even the whole race, and if Ricciardo managed to get past Bottas quickly that he would then put some pressure on Hamilton, making it a three way battle for the victory.
My belief was based on what we have seen so far this season of the top three cars, the Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, it has seemed that the while the Mercedes is quickest in qualifying, at least with Hamilton, it is does not have as much an advantage in race pace against the other two, especially recently compared with the Red Bull.
Also the Mercedes does not seem as comfortably when following other cars, add to that the fact that the Mercedes is relatively less competitive when it gets hotter and they mentioned on TV that it was hot on race day.
So early on I thought it could be a close race at the front, with maybe strategy and the timing of the stops being the crucial deciding factor.
However that wasn’t the case and it wasn’t long before Hamilton made a DRS assisted overtake on Vettel for the lead and from then on he again displayed the pace he had shown all weekend, the only scare was when he came back out after his pit stop, Mercedes had perhaps delayed it for a lap too long and when Hamilton re-joined the circuit Vettel was right behind him. It probably would have been better for those watching if Mercedes had even stopped Hamilton a lap or two later as he would most likely have come out behind Vettel and we would have seen another battle between the pair.
It seemed that all the leaders had decided on a one stop strategy but Red Bull brought Verstappen in for a second stop and then Ferrari brought Vettel in to cover Verstappen, the mixture of strategies added something extra to the race, and it was a question of how much progress Vettel and Verstappen could make on their fresher tyres, and could the others who hadn’t stopped again make their tyres last.
Vettel managed to make his way back up to second but the gap must have been too big to even try to close down Hamilton as he didn’t pull away from Raikkonen after he was let through by his teammate.
Verstappen was close to achieving an unlikely podium having started way down the grid due to engine penalties, and when he got past Raikkonen on the final lap it initially seemed like a great move to end the race with, alas he had gone off track, cutting the corner, to complete the overtake and was penalised by the stewards with a five second penalty added to his time.
Even with the time penalty Raikkonen almost missed out on the podium as he had slowed down before the finish line, I noticed this at the time before the steward’s decision but didn’t think it could be significant.