The season began on 13 May at Catalunya, Barcelona and finished at the Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi on 26 November. It was contested at 18 races at nine rounds. George Russell, Jack Aitken and Nirei Fukuzumi ended the season in the top 3 with ART Grand Prix. All drivers at the end of the season joined the 2018 FIA Formula 2 Championship. The second race at Italy was cancelled after heavy rain during the 2017 Italian Grand Prix. This season saw the series introduce the Drag Reduction System (DRS) used in Formula One and Formula 2.