Max Verstappen has solidified his place among Formula 1’s all-time greats, clinching his fourth consecutive driver’s title. The Dutchman finished fifth at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Sunday, ahead of his title rival Lando Norris, who crossed the line in sixth.
Mercedes’ George Russell converted his pole position into a second win of the season, with teammate Lewis Hamilton impressively finishing in second after starting from 10th. Russell was more or less untroubled throughout the night as he cruised to victory at the entertainment capital of the world.
Carlos Sainz completed the podium place with a hard-earned 3rd place finish with teammate Charles Leclerc finishing a place behind the Spaniard in fourth.
“Max Verstappen you are a four-time world champion,” team principal Christian Horner said on the radio post race. “That is a phenomenal, phenomenal achievement. You can be incredibly proud of yourself as we are.”
“Oh My God, what a season. Four times. Thank you, thank you guys, We gave it all,” Verstappen responded.
CHAMPION OF THE WORLD AGAIN 🏆🏆🏆🏆#F1 #LasVegasGP pic.twitter.com/i8jRO4k3hm
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 24, 2024
Verstappen now holds an unassailable 64-point lead with just two race weekends remaining in the 2024 season. He joins an elite group of only five drivers to secure four consecutive championships, alongside Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, and Juan Manuel Fangio. Alain Prost, another four-time world champion, claimed his titles in 1985, 1986, 1989, and 1993.
After a dominant start to the season, with seven wins from the first 10 races and a commanding lead in the standings, Verstappen experienced an unexpected slump, struggling to secure victories and raising doubts about his aggressive racing style. However, a strong resurgence in Brazil confirmed that the Dutchman was back on track, ultimately sealing his fourth consecutive title in Las Vegas. McLaren’s Norris, aiming to dethrone the Dutchman, will need to come back even stronger next year.
Ferrari close in on McLaren in the Constructors championship
Carlos Sainz secured third place for Ferrari, with the constructor’s championship still fiercely contested between McLaren, currently in the lead, and Ferrari. His teammate, Charles Leclerc also scored valuable 12 points for his team by finishing 4th. While Red Bull claimed the title and its associated $150 million in prize money for the past two seasons, they have now dropped to third in the standings.
McLaren had a somewhat difficult race with Norris finishing 6th and teammate Oscar Piastri in 7th. The Britt however did manage to secure an additional point for his team by setting the fastest lap of the race on the last lap.
The championship race looks set to extend into next month’s season finale in Abu Dhabi, with McLaren holding a 24-point lead over Ferrari heading into this weekend’s race in Qatar.
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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.
