Esteban Ocon was one of the standout young drivers of the season and as a result, our readers have acknowledged this by overwhelmingly choosing the 21-year-old as the Star of the Future.
Chosen by Force India over fellow Mercedes backed driver Pascal Wehrlein, Ocon seized the opportunity handed to him with relish and enthusiasm.
His rags-to-riches story is a fairytale of sorts and his cheerful demeanour makes him hard not to like, while his speed and racecraft warrant the respect he has earned this season.
Up against veteran Sergio Perez, Ocon had a formidable gauge of his talent in a team that provided him with a very strong car.
At first, Ocon played second fiddle to his more senior teammate but by the Canadian Grand Prix he was snapping at the Mexican's heels. In the end, there was very little to separate the two, this alone is a feather in Ocon's cap.
Ocon ended the season with 29 grand prix starts on his CV while Perez has 134 starts to his credit, but the difference on track was minimal.
The Frenchman has arrived and is now, thanks to his performances in 2017, a serious contender for a top team in the future.
Ocon did not qualify for Rookie of the Year because of his nine races with Manor in 2016.
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2017 Awards Notes: The Grand Prix 247 Awards were determined by reader polls which began on 2 December and ran until 8 December. An average of 3000 votes were cast per category, around 42,000 votes were cast in total. Thank you to those who participated.
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