Max Verstappen has been crowned Formula 1 world champion for the fourth successive year on a night when George Russell won the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver went into the street race around the strip knowing he simply needed to outperform rival Lando Norris to earn yet another world crown.
Unlike throughout the season, there was minimal drama as the pair finished in fifth and sixth position respectively, ensuring the Dutchman holds an unassailable lead with two races remaining.
Verstappen, still just 27 years of age, joins Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel in becoming a four-time champion, and is now only trailing Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Juan Manuel Fangio in the all-time list.
The moment Max Verstappen retained his crown 👑#F1 #LasVegasGP pic.twitter.com/KG5eoheDoY
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 24, 2024
'Relieved but proud'
Speaking on his triumph, Verstappen said: "It has been a long season and we started amazing, almost like cruising, and then we had a tough run but we kept it together as a team, kept working on improvements and pulled it over the line.
"To stand here as a four-time world champion is something I never thought possible so standing here relieved in a way but also proud."
Verstappen now holds a 63-point lead over Norris with two races to go, with the Englishman left to focus on defending his 21-point advantage over Charles Leclerc in the race for second spot.
Despite Verstappen's individual success, a fifth-placed finish has done little for Red Bull's Constructors bid as they trail leaders McLaren by 53 points.
GEORGE RUSSELL WINS IN VEGAS!!! 🤩
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 24, 2024
Lewis Hamilton comes home second to make it a Mercedes 1-2 👏👏 #F1 #LasVegasGP pic.twitter.com/2YRUfx8l5T
Mercedes deliver one-two
The Mercedes has been by far the fastest car over the weekend and Russell was able to avoid any trouble on pole to lead from start to front.
As impressive as that was, Hamilton perhaps deserves the 'Driver Of The Day' tag, with the veteran benefitting from a sensational first stint to advance from 10th to second come the end of the race.
Verstappen had been running in third, only to be passed by the Ferrari duo of Carlos Sainz Jr and Charles Leclerc during the closing laps.
There were just 16.582 seconds separating the top five, with Norris a further 27 seconds down the road after stopping late for fresh tyres to secure the bonus point for the fastest lap.
Our top 10 in Vegas 🎲🎲#F1 #LasVegasGP pic.twitter.com/0LrmV73Rgu
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 24, 2024
Darren Plant
