Season 14

Driver's Championship:

This season was the **14th Season of Formula One**. It was the first season played in the F1 2017 video game, Formula is the highest class of competition for open-wheel racing cars. Twenty-two drivers representing ten teams contested eleven Grands Prix, starting in Belgium and ending in the USA as they competed for the World Drivers' and World Constructors' championships.

João Costa and Dylan Pavel were re-united at RedBull after Pavel opting for an extra season

This season was also notable removing the Qualifying method and doing the full season.

## Team Changes

After a relatively successful season with HAAS, Red Bull decided to take a gamble and hired Costa, and the current World Champion, Pavel decided to stay at RedBull, this would be Costa's first season at RedBull and Pavel's 2nd.

## Race 1 - Australia

A disappointing start for Costa as he was spun out, failed to catch up to the pack and eventually crashed out in lap 3. The race was won by Pavel after him holding back Hamilton.

## Race 2 - China

In China the race was off to a troubled start, Costa had to make 2 saves, one of them almost causing a pile-up. Pavel won the race easily while Costa finished 6th, his first time in the points since Bahrain in Season 13.

## Race 3 - Bahrain

Costa and Pavel had made an amazing start, surpassing both Mercedes at the start of the race, however due to poor corner management, Costa had spun out from 2nd to 19th, crashing out Vettel in the process. He got disqualified after facing the wrong way in a crash and Pavel won.

## Race 4 - Russia

It was a historic race for RedBull after Pavel and Costa finished 1-2 respectively. Pavel had an easy way to the win, having a massive gap over 2nd place Costa, but Costa had to battle with Hamilton on the last laps, and on the final lap, Costa made Lewis Hamilton spin out after a divebomb which made Hamilton loose.

## Race 5 - Spain

Costa and Pavel started 5-6, and Costa had high hopes since it was in his neighbouring track, however due to reported problems in the car's handling made him crash out in lap 6, disappointing the travelling Portuguese fans. A safety car was brought out and Pavel went from 1st to 5th as he did an early pit stop, something he quickly made up in 2 laps which gave him the race win.

## Race 6 - Monaco

Costa and Pavel had once again a great qualifying position, 4-5 respectively. However Costa crashed after a quarter of a lap after Massa had crashed him out, causing a pileup and eventually hit a wall. Pavel crashed out due to lack of stabilisation after losing his front wing. Ending his 18 race winning streak.

## Race 7 - Canada

Another race of high hopes squashed for Costa due to bad timing and a penalty. Costa actually took the lead, and sealed it after passing Bottas and having his teammate, Pavel was spun out of the Wall Of Champions turn by Vettel, making him 25th. However Pavel was not out of the race, and before the pit stops Costa failed to manage the trickier corners, breaking his wing in the process and losing the lead. After Pit Stops, Costa found himself in 6th, he battled to 3rd and crossed the line in 3rd. However he was not given the podium due to a 6 second penalty. Pavel fought from 15th back to 1st and won the race.

## Race 8 - Azerbaijan

Costa's hopes once again took a battering it would never recover from. After a troubled start in Baku involving an amazing battle between Pavel and Costa, a safety car and various crashes, he had risen his way to the lead of the race, he wrecked out in Lap 8 out of 13, continuing the winless streak that has been going on for 3 seasons. Kvyat took the lead and Pavel took the lead late in the race, and held on.

## Race 9 - Austria

RedBull had a flawless day on their home track, as both Pavel and Costa finished 1-2, and Pavel won with a a 24 second lead, and Costa finally had one more podium, his 2nd of the year out of potential 5. Palmer made headlines for being lapped 2 times.

## Race 10 - United Kingdom

Costa could not keep the momentum from Austria however, as he wrecked out in the entrance to pit road. However before this he accidentally wrecked Vettel out for the 2nd time in the season. Pavel was once again the winner, getting his 120th win.

## Race 11 - Hungary

However both Pavel and Costa would have a closely battled podium as they fought off Hamilton in the first few laps. Despite pitting on the same lap Pavel and Costa would be separated by over 30 seconds. Kimi Raikkonen also made it to the podium, surprisingly finishing ahead of teammate Vettel. Pavel almost had a serious incident with a error on the rear wing, however the team were able to fix it via the computer.

## Race 12 - Belgium

The race went off to a fantastic start for Costa, being able to take the lead and keeping it despite tangling in the final corner of lap 1 with Pavel. However after Costa went wide in turn 1, Pavel took the lead and he would never look back. In lap 4 it started to rain hard, and everyone went down the pits to get Intermediate tires either on lap 4 or 5 depending on team strategy. However Pavel and Costa went in the RedBull pit in the same lap. Pavel once again took off as Costa and Hamitlon made the rest of the podium.

## Race 13 - Italy

At Ferrari's backyard, the on loan Pavel won his 14th season in a row after coming 1st at Monza. The race started off once again great for Costa, however due to going wide on the last turn the lead was given to Pavel. Pavel pitted at lap 4, giving the lead to Costa. Costa stayed out untill lap 9, which gave the lead and the win to Pavel.

## Race 14 - Singapore

Both RedBulls had a shocking first lap, with Pavel sailing into the wall (somehow keeping his front wing) and Costa eventually losing the car and retiring out of anger. Pavel clawed his way up back to 1st to once again win the race.

## Race 15 - Malaysia

Costa's hope of 5th in points took a battering after a bad start + starting position capped off with a lap 3 crash with Ocon, bringing out a safety car. Pavel pitted during the safety car, dropping to 15th, however he was able to claw his way up to win the race.

## Race 16 - Japan

Costa's rivalry with Ferrari came to blows after he had a tight battle with Raikkonen during the first lap, however in the front straight of the 2nd lap, a block on Raikkonen went wrong as Costa crashed out bringing out a safety car, Pavel used his method of pitting early, and went from 18th to 8th until an unexpected safety car came out at lap 7. Due to the safety car being out for a long time the race resumed on lap 10 with only 4 laps to go, forcing Dylan Pavel to push hard if he wanted to win, he went from 8th to 2nd, chasing Hamilton for the lead, he took the lead at lap 12 of 13 and went on to win the race.

After the race the RedBull and Ferrari crews had some scuffles in the garage after Costa came to Ferrari's garage for an explanation. Costa and Raikkonen were fined but Costa was placed under investigation.

## Race 17 - United States

With Costa started alongside Pavel despite of him being under investigation, them and Vettel had a closely battled race for the lead, untill lap 6 when Pavel had to pit and Costa took the lead. He held on for 3 laps and finished 2nd while Pavel won the race. Or so he thought, due to him getting 12 seconds worth of penalties, he was stripped of his Podium and was given 4th. Due to this he went to complain to the FIA who docked him for the next race in Mexico. The race itself had alot of moments between Vettel, Costa and Pavel, including a pass on the straightaway which was followed by Costa passing Vettel, making the RedBulls 1-2.

## Race 18 - Mexico

Neil Verhagen replaced Costa after him getting suspended after his actions at Suzuka and the USA GPs, Verhagen had a rocky start as he broke part of his wing and tangled with teammate Pavel, however they were able to pull away and had a close battle for the lead, however Verhagen crashed in lap 8, bringing out the safety car. Pavel pitted and started in 3rd after the safety car. And on the final lap, his car got launched sideways by a curb, however it did not tip over and he won the race, rounding off the season.