The 2017 f1 regulation change promised an end to Mercedes' dominance over the V6 turbo era. Redbull were choosen as Mercedes's closest competetiors. However, it was Ferrari who made the biggest step forward. With an encouraging winter testing pace, Ferrari arrived in Melbourne with high hopes. Ferrari silenced everyone who questioned them by defeating the until then, unchallenged Mercedes to take victory. At that moment f1 fans for the first time in a while felt that there was genuine championship fight.
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Ferrari and Vettel's win created
an air of excitement in the paddock. Despite both Vettel and Hamilton's
dominance in the modern era neither of them had ever gone head to head.
Since the Australian grand prix, the championship swung back and forth between
the two (though Vettel maintained the lead in the points
table).
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Baku was probably the most dramatic race of the season. The contraversial car chop by Vettel earned him a 10-second stop and go penalty. However a loose headrest on Hamilton's Mercedes called for a precautionary pitstop. This put him behind Vettel in 5th. The championship until then was rather straightfoward and now there was some spice to it.
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The Austrian grand prix
arrived with Hamilton taking an unplanned penalty for a gearbox change
presenting Vettel a chance to extend his championship lead. Vettel closely
followed Bottas throughout the race while Hamilton was making a steady
recovery. Unfortunately for Vettel, his tyre gave way leaving Vettel to finish
a lowly 7th. This brought the championship fight down to a single point. Vettel won the Hungarian grand prix but Hamilton's crucial Monza win
meant that for the first time in 2017 Hamilton led the championship.
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Ferrari arrived in Singapore
with a sense of confidence as traditionally the Ferrari has gone well on the
streets of Singapore. A general consensus was that Vettel would reclaim
his championship lead as Mercedes bracing for their worst weekend since
Monaco. Singapore however had different plans, drama ensued as soon as
the lights went out with Vettel, Verstappen and Raikkonen coming together in spectacular
fashion taking all of them out. Hamilton meanwhile avoided the mayhem and drove
to a commanding win, extending the championship lead by 28 points.
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After Singapore, Ferrari's
season seemed to be just a series of unfortunate events. Hit by an engine issue
in Q1, Vettel failed set a timed lap. Hamilton took pole but finished 2nd,
while Vettel made a stunning recovery to 4th. Vettel desperately needed a
win in Japan to keep his title hopes going unfortunately a faulty spark plug meant another
DNF. Hamilton defended the charging Verstappen to win and essentially
sealing his 4th title which he wrapped up in a rather complicated race in
Mexico.
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