Verstappen finished the Las Vegas Grand Prix in fifth place, a result that allowed him to clinch the title in a race that saw George Russell take victory in a Mercedes one-two finish. Lando Norris, who needed to finish ahead of Verstappen to prolong the championship contention for at least another week, faced challenges and crossed the finish line in a distant sixth.
Max Verstappen has cemented his status in Formula 1 by becoming the world champion for the fourth time, having secured the 2024 title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. At the age of 27, Verstappen joins an elite group as the sixth driver in the sport’s history to win four or more world championships. This places him alongside iconic figures like Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, both of whom hold the record with seven titles. Juan-Manuel Fangio, the legendary Argentine driver from the 1950s, won five championships, while Alain Prost, Sebastian Vettel, and now Verstappen each have four.
Since claiming his inaugural title amid a controversial finish to the 2021 season, Verstappen has dominated the Drivers’ Championship, aligning himself with the likes of Hamilton, Fangio, and Vettel by winning four consecutive titles. This achievement is remarkable, as only Schumacher has succeeded in securing five consecutive championships, underscoring the importance of Verstappen’s recent success.
During the 2023 season, Verstappen delivered an exceptional performance, winning an astonishing 19 out of 22 races, establishing a record for dominance in the sport. With this level of performance, he seemed destined to win the championship again after securing seven victories in the first ten races of the current season. However, a surprising downturn in Red Bull’s form, along with McLaren’s rise as a formidable competitor and Ferrari’s improvements since the summer break, enabled Norris to present a late challenge for the championship.
While Red Bull lost its hold on the Constructors’ Championship, falling to third place amid the struggles of Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s consistent strong finishes allowed him to maintain his lead, although it decreased gradually. After holding an impressive 84-point lead following the British Grand Prix in July, Norris managed to cut that down to 44 points by winning the Sprint at Sao Paulo earlier this month.
The championship battle took a notable turn back to Verstappen’s advantage the following day as he executed a brilliant drive to win the rain-affected Grand Prix from 17th on the grid, while Norris, starting from pole, finished a disappointing sixth. This crucial win marked Verstappen’s first full-race victory in five months and helped him regain a commanding lead of 62 points.
With this substantial advantage, Verstappen only needed to finish ahead of Norris in Las Vegas to secure the championship, which he accomplished by finishing fifth in the race, one place ahead of Norris, who struggled to find competitive pace.
In the early stages of the race, Verstappen had briefly moved into second place behind the eventual winner, George Russell. However, he found himself shuffled down to fifth during a lengthy second stint on hard tires and was overtaken by Lewis Hamilton, followed by Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. Despite these setbacks, Verstappen’s performance ultimately secured him the championship once again, further solidifying his legacy in the world of Formula 1.
Las Vegas GP result: Top 10
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 Hulkenberg, Haas
9) Yuki Tsunoda, RB
10) Sergio Perez, Red Bull
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