The 2017 British Grand Prix is officially in the books and it was a fairly straightforward affair once again as Mercedes went 1-2 with Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas and Ferrari pulled in third with Kimi Raikkonen.
The winning drive by Hamilton could not have been easier as he was never challenged but Bottas moved up into second through good driving and various misfortunes suffered by drivers perched ahead of him when he began the race in the ninth spot on the grid. One of those who experienced misfortune was Raikkonen, who had to make a late-lap pit due to a tire puncture and the result was a sacrificed second place on the podium. ASN awards all points in the order finished.
Meanwhile, Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat is making a spirited run to claim the 2017 version of the Pastor Maldonado Driving School Award as he clobbered his Toro Rosso teammate Carlos Sainz, Jr. in the opening lap and took Sainz, Jr. out of the race and has now moved into a tie with Sainz, Jr. and Sergio Perez for the season lead.
The Kimi Raikkonen “Leave Me Alone! I Know What I’m Doing!” Award has to go to Bottas for his very Raikkonen-esque response of “Minimal talking.” to the pit in the throes of the crucial late lap maneuvers.
The Bernie Ecclestone Doofus Moment Award goes to the British Grand Prix owner group for some pre-race grandstanding about their contract clause to try and draw attention to contract negotiations with Liberty Media. Poor form and Ecclestonian in foundation.
2017 ASN Formula One Driver’s Rankings [after British Grand Prix]
1] Sebastian Vettel – 20 points
2] Valtteri Bottas – 12
3] Lewis Hamilton – 10
4] Daniel Ricciardo – five
5] Esteban Ocon – four
6] Kimi Raikkonen – three
7] Sergio Perez – two
8] Fernando Alonso/Romain Grosjean/Lance Stroll/Stoffel Vandoorne/Max Verstappen – one
2017 Pastor Maldonado Driving School Award [after British Grand Prix]
1] Daniil Kvyat/Perez/Carlos Sainz, Jr. – two
4] Grosjean/Kevin Magnussen/Jolyon Palmer/Vandoorne/Vettel – one
2017 Kimi Raikkonen “Leave Me Alone! I Know What I’m Doing! Award [after British Grand Prix]
1] Alonso/Vettel – two points
3] Bottas/Jenson Button/Grosjean/Hamilton/Mercedes pit [Bottas]/red Bull pit [Verstappen]/Vettel – one
2017 Bernie Ecclestone Doofus Award [after British Grand Prix]
1] Bernie Ecclestone – three
2] Australian Grand Prix officials/Bottas/British Grand Prix owners/Canadian grand Prix officials/Goodwood/Mercedes marketing/Stroll