With his victory at the Chinese Grand Prix, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton clinched the top spot for the 2017 F1 driver's championship, sharing it with Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel. With stiff competition between the two drivers and teams, the question still stands. Who is the fastest in 2017 F1?
Hamilton's recent victory simply shows that he can ace his way to the top without many problems. This might also reinforce his claim to the Australian Grand Prix when he was forced to an early pit stop, something which Vettel took advantage of leading to him eventually winning the opening race of the season.
Guys, I can't explain to you the feeling. Thank you so much for your support this weekend. #ChineseGP #F1 @MercedesAMGF1 X @spinzbeatsinc pic.twitter.com/KCfbYoWcRj
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) April 9, 2017
The lap times during the Chinese Grand Prix also supports the claim that Lewis might be the fastest man in the race, with Vettel trailing very close. Mercedes' Hamilton posted a 1:35.378 record during his 44th lap, while Vettel posted a 1:35.423 time during his 40th lap, according to Sky Sports.
In an interview after the race, Vettel said, "I kept pushing because you never know, maybe Lewis is doing a mistake or has an issue with the car so I wanted to keep the pressure on."
On the other hand, Hamilton has this to say after the race, "When Sebastian got behind, then we had a real race on our hands."
Two races into the season and it is already clear just how hard the competition will be for this year's F1 season. Lewis and Vettel will continue to edge each other out for the rest of the season, and their duel will also cement the legacy of their respective teams.
Lastly, the limelight of the Chinese Grand Prix was shining brightly on Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen. Despite his rather troubling qualifying laps that had him down in the 16th position, he was able to push his car to the limit and managed to secure an incredible third place after the race.
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