Max Verstappen made history once again, securing his fourth consecutive Formula 1 World Championship with a masterclass of consistency and resilience. Despite finishing fifth in the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix, Verstappen's position was enough to seal the deal, as he finished ahead of Lando Norris and claimed the points that allowed him to match Sebastian Vettel’s legendary feat of four consecutive titles with Red Bull Racing.
Meanwhile, Mercedes delivered a flawless performance in Las Vegas, with George Russell taking a historic victory in the 2024 edition of the race. Russell outclassed his teammate Lewis Hamilton, crossing the line 7.093 seconds ahead after Hamilton mounted a fierce challenge in the final 20 laps but was unable to close the gap. It was a bittersweet result for Hamilton, who fought valiantly but couldn’t overcome the superior pace of his teammate.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz rounded out the podium in third, finishing ahead of Verstappen, a result that made the Las Vegas GP the decisive race for the title. Mercedes' domination was undeniable throughout the weekend, as they clinched all three practice sessions, secured pole position, and executed a near-perfect race strategy to finish P1 and P2.
F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix: Race results, standings
Driver
1. George Russell (Mercedes)
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
6. Lando Norris (McLaren)
7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
8. Nico Hülkenberg (Haas)
9. Yuki Tsunoda (RB) DNF
10. Sergio Pérez (Red Bull)
How did the Rivals reacted after his win
Verstappen secured the championship in Las Vegas by finishing in sixth, one place ahead of title threat Lando Norris of McLaren along the neon-lit Las Vegas Strip.
“Nobody is unbeatable, You go through these phases where teams and drivers together are dominating and people think if I went up alongside them, I wouldn’t be able to compete with them. But you have to have belief in yourself," race winner George Russell of Mercedes told reporters.
“As much as I think Max did an incredible job this year... the second half of the season just shows that when we are all in more of equal machinery, we can go up against each other and make each other’s lives difficult. Everyone starts making mistakes when they are under pressure. Everyone starts complaining about their car and everyone starts complaining in the media about their car. It’s all about pressure management," said Carlos Sainz who had a P3 in Las Vegas.
Verstappen after the win
“I’m very proud of how everyone stuck together in those very tough races where we lost, We have a lot of ideas for next year. A few things we couldn’t change anymore this year so that is something for next year. I hope that makes the car more driveable and more competitive because I know the other ones are not sitting still. Next year is going to be a big battle," said Max after the win.
Just Two races are left for this season.
Max equals Vettel
F1 Championships
Michael Schumacher — 5: Ferrari, 2000-04
MAX VERSTAPPEN — 4: Red Bull, 2021-24
Lewis Hamilton — 4: Mercedes, 2017-20
Sebastian Vettel — 4: Red Bull, 2010-13
Juan Manuel Fangio — 4: Various, 1954-57
