Season snapshot · 2017
Source: Jolpica F1 API- WDC finish
- P6
- Wins
- 2
- Podiums
- 4
- Points
- 168
- DNFs
- 7
- Constructor
- Red Bull Racing
Race-by-race
| Race | Grid | Finish | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian | P5 | P5 | 10 |
| Chinese | P16 | P3 | 15 |
| Bahrain | P6 | Brakes | 0 |
| Russian | P7 | P5 | 10 |
| Spanish | P5 | Collision damage | 0 |
| Monaco | P4 | P5 | 10 |
| Canadian | P5 | Electrical | 0 |
| Azerbaijan | P5 | Oil pressure | 0 |
| Austrian | P5 | Collision damage | 0 |
| British | P4 | P4 | 12 |
| Hungarian | P5 | P5 | 10 |
| Belgian | P5 | Power unit | 0 |
| Italian | P13 | P10 | 1 |
| Singapore | P2 | Collision | 0 |
| Malaysian | P3 | P1 | 25 |
| Japanese | P4 | P2 | 18 |
| United States | P16 | P4 | 12 |
| Mexican | P2 | P1 | 25 |
| Brazilian | P4 | P5 | 10 |
| Abu Dhabi | P6 | P5 | 10 |
Max Verstappen's 2017 Formula 1 season with Red Bull Racing was a study in contrasts, showcasing his formidable talent while simultaneously being plagued by a series of mechanical failures and race incidents that severely hampered his championship aspirations.
Going In
Heading into 2017, Verstappen was in his second full season with Red Bull, having made a mid-season switch in 2016 that immediately yielded a victory in Spain. The turbo-hybrid era was still firmly under Mercedes' control, but Red Bull aimed to close the gap. Verstappen, with his aggressive driving style and proven pace, was expected to be a key player in challenging the front-runners. The technical regulations for 2017 introduced wider cars and tires, promising faster lap times and a more physically demanding driving experience, which many anticipated would suit Verstappen's assertive approach.
How It Played Out
The season started with glimmers of potential, including a strong third-place finish at the Chinese Grand Prix, where Verstappen climbed from a sixteenth-place grid start. However, this early promise quickly dissolved into a frustrating run of retirements. Across the 20-race calendar, Verstappen recorded seven DNFs, a significant portion of his season. These retirements were attributed to a range of issues: brakes in Bahrain, collision damage in Spain and Austria, electrical problems in Canada, oil pressure in Azerbaijan, and a power unit failure in Belgium. This string of non-finishes severely impacted his points tally and momentum, a challenge that even a consistent driver like Nico Hülkenberg — 2017 season faced when his machinery wasn't fully competitive.
Despite these setbacks, Verstappen consistently demonstrated his speed when the RB13 held together. He secured multiple top-five finishes through the mid-season, including a fourth in Britain and fifths in Australia, Russia, Monaco, and Hungary. The latter half of the season saw a notable upturn in performance and reliability. Verstappen capitalized on this, securing his first victory of the year at the Malaysian Grand Prix and following it up with a second-place finish in Japan. This late-season surge culminated in another dominant win at the Mexican Grand Prix, underscoring his capability to extract maximum performance when the machinery allowed. By the season's close, Verstappen had accumulated 168 points, placing him sixth in the Drivers' Championship, a testament to his strong finishes despite the numerous DNFs. For context, drivers often look for consistency across seasons, as seen in where reliability was less of a personal issue.