Relive Lewis Hamilton’s stunning 2017 F1 season, where he overcame fierce competition from Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel to clinch his fourth World Championship – his third with Mercedes – in one of the most thrilling battles of the turbo-hybrid era.
Seven Stars: Lewis Hamilton’s Legacy in Formula 1
As one chapter of Lewis Hamilton’s extraordinary career comes to a close, another is set to begin.
With his move to Ferrari in 2025, Hamilton leaves behind a legacy at Mercedes that redefined dominance in Formula 1. But before he embarks on this new journey, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the moments that made him a seven-time World Champion.
For seven weeks, we’ll relive the defining seasons of Hamilton’s career, celebrating his unparalleled achievements and revisiting the path that established him as one of the greatest drivers in history.
In week one, we explored his breakthrough year in 2008, The Birth of a Champion. We then revisited the dawn of his Mercedes dynasty in 2014, The Dawn of a Dynasty in week two. In week three, we celebrated his dominant 2015 season, A Championship of Perfection.
Now, in week four, we examine 2017, The Art of Resilience, a season marked by fierce rivalries, relentless determination, and the triumph of a champion’s unwavering spirit.
2017: The Art of Resilience
The 2017 Formula 1 season presented Lewis Hamilton with a formidable challenge – a resurgent Ferrari led by Sebastian Vettel. For the first time since the start of their dominant reign in 2014, Mercedes faced a genuine inter-team title battle, with Vettel heading the championship for the first 12 rounds.
Hamilton’s journey was defined by fierce on-track battles and tactical brilliance. His ability to recover from mid-season deficits proved his resilience and unwavering determination.
The pivotal moment came at the Italian Grand Prix, where Hamilton’s win saw him overtake Vettel in the standings – a lead he held until the season’s end.
Throughout the year, Hamilton’s consistency was evident. He secured 9 wins and 11 pole positions, breaking Michael Schumacher’s record for the most all-time pole positions. His remarkable year brought his victory tally to 62.
Hamilton clinched his fourth World Drivers’ Championship title with two rounds left in the season and finished the season 46 points ahead of Sebastian Vettel.
This achievement not only solidified his status as one of the sport’s elite but also highlighted his adaptability and mental fortitude in the face of fierce competition.
Looking back on 2017, it’s clear: the season was a showcase of Hamilton’s resilience
Hamilton and Vettel Take Turns at the Top
The 2017 season marked a fresh start for Mercedes with Valtteri Bottas joining Lewis Hamilton after Nico Rosberg’s shock retirement as the reigning World Champion. But it wasn’t going to be an easy year for the Silver Arrows, as Ferrari proved they were back in the hunt.
The season opener for the 2017 season was in Australia, and it wasn’t just Mercedes that had a strong showing. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was right there with them.
Hamilton claimed pole, just three-tenths ahead of Vettel. As a result, the Brit matched Ayrton Senna’s record of six pole positions in Australia.
The race so a fierce battle between the Mercedes pair and Vettel, but it was the German who saw the chequered flag first. Ferrari had well and truly caught up with Mercedes, setting the F1 world up for an inter-team battle for the title.
Hamilton took pole once again in China, this time just two-tenths ahead of Vettel. In what was a very wet weekend, it was a grand chelem for Hamilton, who led every lap from pole, secured the fastest lap and won the race.
Vettel was P2, with Verstappen rounding off the podium.
The result saw Vettel and Hamilton equal on points – 43 – in the Drivers’ championship standings.
Bottas took pole in Bahrain, ahead of Hamilton and Vettel in P2 and P3 respectively.
Both Bottas and Vettel had good starts, with the Finn maintaining his lead, and the Ferrari driver taking second from Hamilton.
Hamilton was later handed a five-second penalty for a pitlane infraction, which ultimately cost him a chance to win. Vettel crossed the finish line first, six seconds ahead of Hamilton, and 20 ahead of Bottas.
This gave Vettel a seven-point lead in the standings and allowed Ferrari to retake first in the Constructors’ championship standings.
The Tide Turns
Ferrari’s resurgence continued in Russia, where Vettel and Raikkonen locked out the front row – their first since the 2008 French Grand Prix.
But it was Bottas who stole the spotlight, charging past both Ferraris at the start to claim his maiden Formula 1 victory. Vettel briefly led during the pit stops but couldn’t close the gap in traffic, finishing second ahead of Raikkonen.
Hamilton, hampered by overheating issues, settled for fourth.
The action shifted to Spain, where the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya hosted a thrilling duel between Hamilton and Vettel. Vettel had a strong start, overtaking Hamilton into the first corner to secure an early lead.
The race’s decisive moment came after Vettel’s second pit stop.
As he rejoined the track, Hamilton approached at high speed, setting the stage for a wheel-to-wheel showdown. Vettel fiercely defended his position, but Hamilton, armed with fresher tyres and superior strategy, made a decisive overtake.
The Brit claimed victory, crossing the line three seconds ahead of Vettel for his second win of the season.
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Triumph and Trouble
Monaco was a nightmare for Hamilton. Vettel qualified second, but Hamilton could only manage P14. Tyre warm-up issues and Stoffel Vandoorne impeding him in Q2 ruined his final flying lap.
Vettel claimed victory in Monte Carlo, while Hamilton recovered to finish P7 after starting P13. The win gave Vettel a 25-point lead in the championship.
In Canada, where he took his maiden win, Hamilton bounced back with a Grand Chelem. He dominated the race, finishing 20 seconds ahead of Bottas, with Ricciardo in third. Vettel fought back to take fourth, overtaking Perez’s Force India late on and closing in on Ricciardo’s Red Bull.
Chaos in the Land of Fire
The inaugural Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2017 was full of drama. Hamilton started on pole, with Bottas alongside him. Vettel and Raikkonen lined up on the second row, with Vettel in P4.
The race winner, Ricciardo, wasn’t even in the mix early on. Instead, Hamilton and Vettel stole the spotlight with a fiery clash on Lap 19. Hamilton was hit from behind by Vettel, who accused the Mercedes driver of brake-testing him. Furious, Vettel pulled alongside and deliberately bumped Hamilton’s car.
Replays and telemetry cleared Hamilton of wrongdoing. Vettel received a 10-second stop/go penalty for dangerous driving. The two rivals eventually finished P4 and P5.
Home Glory and Hard Battles
Hamilton started and finished the race in P4. During the final stint of the race informed his engineer he had good pace and wanted around Bottas.
On lap 46 Hamilton was allowed past teammate Bottas and given 10 laps to try and get past Raikkonen, using a higher engine setting. Mercedes promised Bottas that if Hamilton could not get past, they would switch the cars back.
In Austria, Hamilton qualified P3, one spot behind Vettel, but a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change dropped him to P8. He recovered to finish P4, while Vettel took second behind Bottas.
Hamilton claimed a grand chelem at the British Grand Prix, winning his fourth consecutive race at Silverstone and fifth overall. Vettel’s late tyre failure relegated him to P7, cutting his lead over Hamilton in the standings to just one point.
The trend of Hamilton and Vettel taking turns with race wins continued into the next round as Vettel won the Hungarian GP from pole. Meanwhile, Hamilton finished P4.
Late in the race, Hamilton asked to pass Bottas to chase Raikkonen and promised to swap positions back if the Brit couldn’t overtake the Ferrari. Unable to get past the Finn, Hamilton handed the position back to Bottas.
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Hamilton Hits His Stride
Hamilton dominated the next three races.
At the Belgian GP, his 200th race, Hamilton started from pole, equaling Michael Schumacher’s record of 68 poles. He went on to win, cutting Vettel’s championship lead to seven points.
In Italy, Hamilton started from pole again, while Vettel was P6 after grid penalties hit much of the field. Hamilton won, taking the championship lead as Vettel finished third.
The Singapore GP was chaotic. Vettel started on pole but collided with Verstappen and Raikkonen at the start, handing the lead to Hamilton, who claimed victory and extended his lead to 28 points.
What we tweeted was a factual description of events. No need to speculate on this
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) September 17, 2017
In Malaysia, Verstappen took a dominant win, with Hamilton in P2. Vettel, finishing P4, saw Hamilton’s lead grow to 34 points.
Hamilton then triumphed in Japan while Vettel struggled with engine trouble even before the race started. Despite starting second, Vettel’s car issues saw him drop back immediately before retiring.
Hamilton cruised to his eighth win of the season, extending his championship lead further.
Clinching the Crown
Vettel went into the United States Grand Prix 59 points behind his Mercedes rival. In qualifying, Vettel was just two-tenths behind poleman Hamilton. The two went on to finish the race as they started, in P1 and P2.
That was the sixth and final time the two had finished in the first two positions throughout the 2017 season.
With a 66-point lead heading into Mexico, Hamilton needed just a fifth-place finish to secure the title.
However, a first-lap collision with Vettel left Hamilton with a puncture and Vettel with front wing damage.
Despite finishing only P9, Hamilton clinched his fourth World Championship as Vettel managed P3.
The season ended two rounds later.
In Brazil, Hamilton started from the pit lane after a qualifying crash but charged to P4, while Vettel took the win.
At the finale in Abu Dhabi, Bottas got his first ever grand chelem, with Hamilton and Vettel completing the podium.
A Legacy Cemented
As Hamilton prepares for a new chapter in his career with Ferrari in 2025, the 2017 season remains a pivotal moment in his illustrious journey.
Reflecting on that year, Hamilton has named Vettel his favourite championship-contending rival, with their fierce battles throughout the 2017 season serving as proof of the incredible rivalry they shared.
The road to his fourth World Championship was long and winding, but 2017 was the year that truly showcased the art of resilience.
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