Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive Formula 1 World Championship at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, joining an elite club of four-time world champions. Finishing fifth in the race, Verstappen only needed to stay ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris to seal the title, with two rounds still to go in the season.
While Verstappen celebrated his title win, the spotlight of the race shone brightly on George Russell and Mercedes.Delivering a near-flawless performance, Russell led every lap of the race to claim his second Grand Prix victory of the season and the third of his career. Crossing the line 7.093 seconds ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton, Russell showcased exceptional control in the challenging cool and slippery conditions of the Las Vegas Strip circuit.
Hamilton, starting from 10th after a tough qualifying session, mounted an impressive recovery drive to secure a 1-2 finish for Mercedes. The team’s stellar weekend was marked by a clean sweep of practice sessions, pole position, and both top podium spots. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz completed the podium, while Charles Leclerc’s early aggression saw him slip down the order after tyre struggles.
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For Verstappen, it was a strategic race. After holding third at one point, he conceded positions to the Ferraris late in the race, finishing ahead of Norris to claim the championship. Norris, in sixth place, claimed the fastest lap of the race but was mathematically eliminated from title contention. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, ended seventh after a time penalty for a false start.
This season was a turbulent one for Red Bull, marked by the departure of chief engineer Adrian Newey in May and ongoing investigations surrounding team principal Christian Horner. Despite this, Verstappen dominated the early half of the season, winning seven of the first 10 races. However, his momentum slowed, with just one victory since June.
The Las Vegas GP also underscored Mercedes’ resurgence, as Russell’s win marked their first since the Belgian Grand Prix in July. With two races remaining, the focus now shifts to 2025, as the competition gears up for what promises to be another thrilling battle for supremacy in Formula 1. (Inputs from Reuters).