Max Verstappen etched his name in history by winning the F1 Championship for the the fourth consecutive year. He finished fifth in the Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024 and finished above Lando Norris and thus he was able to achieve the unthinkable for Red Bull Racing matching matching Legendary driver Sebastian Vettel's record at Red Bull Racing. Meanwhile Mercedes finished a historic 1-2 at Vegas with George Russel winning the Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024. Russel outclassed his teammate Lewis Hamilton finishing 7.093 seconds ahead of him, who did all the efforts in the final 20 laps but couldn't close the gap. Ferrari's Carlos Sainz finished third in the race that eventually decided the Title. Mercedes eventually had a one sided domination at Vegas with clinching all three practice sessions, securing pole position, and taking the finishing P1-P2.
Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024 - Race Results
1 George Russell 1:22:05.969
2 Lewis Hamilton 7.313s 18
3 Carlos Sainz 11.906s
4 Charles Leclerc 14.283s
5 Max Verstappen 16.582s
Verstappen's title fate
Verstappen entered the 50-lap race knowing that all he needed to do was keep his title rival, Lando Norris, behind him to seal the championship. The Dutch driver achieved this by maintaining his position into the first corner and gradually pulling away from the McLaren driver. After the second round of pit stops, Verstappen held onto a podium spot but opted not to battle the Ferraris in the closing laps. Both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc eventually passed him before the chequered flag.
Up front, Russell expertly navigated the tricky, cool, and slippery conditions, fending off an aggressive early charge from Leclerc. The Ferrari driver’s tyre troubles from his early pace hindered his performance, allowing Russell to take control of the race. This win marked Mercedes’ first since the Belgian Grand Prix in July.
History made
With this result, Verstappen tied Sebastian Vettel's record of four consecutive World Drivers' Championships with Red Bull. Russell’s victory, his second of the season and third of his career, also helped Mercedes to a strong result. Meanwhile, McLaren faced difficulties due to a rear wing issue on both cars, weakening their hopes of securing the Constructors' Championship. The team now finds itself in a tight battle, with Ferrari just 24 points behind. Red Bull, sitting 53 points adrift, is also still in contention as the season moves into the final two races.
