Closing thoughts
Like usual in Formula One, a few drivers pulled away from the rest throughout the 2017 season. The championship battle featured Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, and Valtteri Bottas never really went away until the end of the season, either. Hamilton won the championship, with Vettel finishing in 2nd place and Bottas in 3rd.
Behind those three drivers were three other drivers in a tier of their own. Kimi Raikkonen, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen finished in 4th, 5th and 6th place in the final standings, respectively, and all of them were within striking distance of 4th.
There were several other solid drivers, particularly Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon, throughout the season. However, some drivers never really got it going and were unable to secure great results at all throughout the year.
Next: Who is the greatest Formula One driver of all-time?
How will these driver grades look after the 2018 Formula One season? Which drivers who don’t yet have confirmed full-time rides next season will secure them and get the chance to improve, who will actually improve, and who will take a step back? The 2018 season is set to begin in about four months on Sunday, March 25th with the Australian Grand Prix.