Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive world title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Sunday, with two races remaining in a season where Red Bull, despite being the reigning constructors’ champions, have been overtaken by McLaren and Ferrari as the grid’s leading teams.
After securing the title on Sunday, Verstappen expressed feeling “very proud” of retaining the championship, claiming, “For 70 percent of the season, we didn’t have the fastest car, but we still managed to extend our lead.” This sentiment seemed to be on his mind when McLaren CEO Zak Brown congratulated him during an interview with Sky Sports F1 post-race.
In a lighthearted moment, Verstappen joked, “Like you said, I used to only win in the fastest car. This year has been a little different!”—a reply to Brown’s earlier remarks from the season when the Mclaren boss claimed that Verstappen only won his championships because he was in a faster car.
“As great as Max is, and he’s one of the best ever, I don’t think Max wins the world championship today in any other car other than the Red Bull,” Brown said.
The Dutchman has now taken a dig at Mclaren, claiming that he would have won the drivers championship with Mclaren and would have done so much earlier.
During an interview with Dutch media, as his title celebrations continued, Verstappen was quoted by De Telegraaf saying: “Things like that only motivate me. If people are critical and think that I can only win in the best car, then I prove the opposite. If I don’t get credit for this now, then I don’t know what else I can do. Would I have become champion in the McLaren? Yes! And much earlier too.”
“Max doesn’t have a weakness”: Norris reflects on painful defeat
Lando Norris has expressed his disappointment at narrowly missing out on the championship title to Max Verstappen. Nonetheless, the McLaren driver praised Verstappen for his exceptional consistency and success during the 2024 season, which ultimately saw the Dutchman secure his fourth title.
While Red Bull’s dominance early in the season, with Verstappen winning seven of the first ten races, gave him a commanding lead, McLaren quickly fought back as Red Bull’s performance began to dip.
“Congrats to Max – I’m disappointed I’m out of it, but Max deserved to win it. He drove a better season than I did, he deserved it more than anyone else, Max just doesn’t have a weakness. When he’s got the best car he dominates and when he’s not got the best car he’s still just there always, always there to make your life tough and difficult.”
Both Ferrari drivers surpassed the McLaren duo during the race, reducing McLaren’s lead in the Constructors’ Championship. To minimize the impact, Lando Norris opted for a pit stop in the final two laps to switch to soft tires, managing to set the fastest lap and earn an extra point. This effort has narrowed McLaren’s lead over second-placed Ferrari to just 24 points.
The next race will take place at Lusail Circuit in Qatar on 31st November before the season gets rounded off in the following weekend in Abu Dhabi.
Read More: How Much Money Max Verstappen Made in 2024 After His 4th F1 Championship?
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
