Montreal F1 2017: A Season of Change for Toro Rosso and Williams

The Formula One season is always filled with surprises, but the 2017 season was particularly notable for its dramatic changes on the grid. For Toro Rosso, it was a season of upheaval as they went through a series of driver changes.

Pierre Gasly replaced Daniil Kvyat, who was unceremoniously dumped from the team after struggling to keep pace with his teammate Carlos Sainz. The Russian's departure marked the beginning of a new era for Toro Rosso, as they settled on a partnership between Gasly and Brendon Hartley for 2018.

Meanwhile, at Williams, Lance Stroll struggled to keep up with experienced campaigner Felipe Massa in qualifying sessions. Despite his rookie season, Stroll managed to beat Perez in four consecutive qualifying sessions prior to the penultimate race in Brazil, which is a remarkable feat. However, Massa was dominant throughout the season, beating his teammate by an average of 0.6 seconds.

Another team that underwent significant changes was Force India, where Sergio Perez welcomed a new teammate in Isteban Ocon. The young French driver initially struggled to adapt to Formula One, but has since impressed with his performances on Saturdays. Verstappen and Ricciardo also had a series of tight battles throughout the season, with their average gap standing at 0.128 seconds.

In contrast, Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo was dominant in qualifying sessions, with only a few losses to his teammate Max Verstappen. The Dutch driver even enjoyed a six-weekend streak of intra-team victories ahead of the Japanese GP, but ultimately fell short of beating Ricciardo consistently.

The 2017 season was marked by numerous tight battles between teammates, with several drivers struggling to find consistency in qualifying sessions. From Toro Rosso's Gasly-Hartley partnership to Williams' Massa-Stroll rivalry, the season was filled with drama and excitement. As we look ahead to the upcoming season, it will be interesting to see how these driver pairings develop and which teams can capitalize on their strengths to achieve success.

Montreal f1 2017