Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive Formula 1 World Championship on Saturday night, as he finished in fifth place at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The Dutch driver only needed to finish ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris to clinch the title, and he did just that, cementing his place in F1 history.
Starting from fifth, Verstappen quickly surged into second position by the 10th lap of the race, held on the dazzling Las Vegas Strip. Norris, who had to outscore Verstappen by at least three points to keep the championship race alive, finished in sixth, thus sealing the title for Verstappen with two races still remaining in the season.
“Max Verstappen, you are a four-time world champion,” Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner said over the radio, expressing his pride in Verstappen’s remarkable achievement. “That is a phenomenal, phenomenal achievement. You can be incredibly proud of yourself as we are.”
Verstappen, visibly emotional, responded on the team radio: “Oh my God, what a season. Four times. Thank you, thank you guys. We gave it all.” The 27-year-old driver became just the sixth in F1 history to secure four world titles, joining an elite group of champions.
While Verstappen clinched the championship, the race victory went to George Russell, with teammate Lewis Hamilton finishing in second place—Mercedes’ first 1-2 finish since 2022. Hamilton made a remarkable recovery, coming from 10th on the grid to secure his podium finish. Carlos Sainz Jr. took third place for Ferrari, while his teammate Charles Leclerc finished fourth.
As the constructor championship remains a tight contest between McLaren and Ferrari, Red Bull’s grip on the title seems to have loosened, with the team now sitting in third place in the standings. McLaren holds a 24-point lead over Ferrari ahead of the race in Qatar, setting up an exciting showdown for the final races of the season.
Reflecting on his achievement, Verstappen told actor Terry Crews, who moderated the podium news conference, “To stand here as a four-time world champion is something I never thought would be possible. It was a very challenging season, and I had to stay calm. This season taught me a lot of lessons, and we handled it well as a team. That makes it a very special and beautiful season.”
Despite a somewhat quieter season compared to last year, where Verstappen won 19 races, the four-time champion’s consistency and calm under pressure were key to his success. After a long winless streak earlier in the season, Verstappen has now solidified his legacy as one of the sport’s greatest.
In the race, Verstappen was cruising in third place with around 20 laps remaining. Red Bull advised him to remain patient, as they were focused on securing the title. He asked for guidance when Ferrari drivers Sainz and Leclerc were closing in, but was unable to fend them off. Still, it did not matter, as Verstappen’s dominant season made his title victory virtually inevitable.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix itself was a spectacle, especially following the challenging debut event the previous year. While last year’s race faced significant infrastructure challenges, this year’s edition was far smoother. Russell, who started from pole, won the race ahead of Hamilton, who hoped to avoid the pitfalls of last year’s race, where he was forced to serve a penalty due to a car issue. “I was hoping Vegas had something to offer me after last year, but I will take a podium,” said Sainz.
This Grand Prix marked the final stop in the United States for F1, which has gained immense popularity in the country. The Las Vegas race, along with those in Miami and Austin, Texas, are becoming central to F1’s growing fanbase in America.
Looking ahead, F1 is expected to announce the addition of an 11th team to the grid, backed by General Motors’ Cadillac brand, which will join the championship in 2026. The Las Vegas event itself, part of the Liberty Media portfolio, is continuing to grow in importance, with the extravagant event featuring nightclubs, ice-skating rinks, and top-tier musical performances, making it a true Las Vegas spectacle.
For Verstappen, his victory at the Las Vegas Grand Prix marked another extraordinary chapter in his already remarkable career, with celebrations continuing long into the night.
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