Verstappen clinches fourth F1 championship
Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive Formula 1 championship after finishing fifth in the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday night. The Dutch driver only needed to finish ahead of Lando Norris to clinch the title, and despite starting fifth, he quickly moved up to second place by the 10th lap of the race on the Las Vegas strip. Norris, who needed to finish at least three points ahead of Verstappen to keep his championship hopes alive, finished sixth.
Verstappen’s Emotional Reaction
Verstappen's performance was enough to secure his fourth title with two races still to go this season. "Max Verstappen, you are a four-time world champion," Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said over the radio. "That is a phenomenal achievement. You can be incredibly proud of yourself as we are." Verstappen, visibly emotional, responded: “Oh my God, what a season. Four times. Thank you, thank you guys. We gave it all.”
Mercedes duo sweep podium
George Russell won the Las Vegas Grand Prix with his Mercedes teammate, Lewis Hamilton, finishing second. It was the first 1-2 finish for Mercedes since 2022, with Hamilton impressively making his way up from 10th on the grid, two weeks after a disappointing race in Brazil.
Ferrari Drivers secure third, fourth
Carlos Sainz Jr finished third for Ferrari, while his teammate Charles Leclerc was fourth. Despite Red Bull's dominant driver championship campaign, the constructor’s title remains tightly contested, with McLaren and Ferrari leading the charge. Red Bull, after dominating the past two seasons, now sits in third place in the constructor standings, and the battle is expected to extend into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Focused Verstappen
Verstappen's race was relatively straightforward. He was in third place with 20 laps to go, and with Red Bull urging him to remain patient, Verstappen replied, “Yeah, yeah. I’m doing my race.” Later, with Ferrari's Sainz and Leclerc closing in, Verstappen asked whether he should defend against them to help secure the constructor championship. Red Bull instructed him to try; however, he could not hold them off, though it did not affect his title bid.
Improved Las Vegas Grand Prix after 2023 chaos
The Las Vegas race was the second edition of the event, following last year’s chaotic debut. Local frustration over ongoing construction, traffic issues, and high prices marred the first race. This year, however, the event was far more organized, benefiting from lessons learned from the previous year. Despite last year's infrastructure challenges, the actual race had been one of the best of the season.
New American team in works
The Las Vegas Grand Prix marked the final race in the U.S. for this season, part of F1's expanding popularity in the country. The series now holds three races in the U.S. (Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas), the most in any nation. In the wake of the race, F1 is expected to announce plans to expand the grid to 11 teams, including an American team backed by General Motors' Cadillac brand. Initially led by Michael Andretti, the team has since been taken over by Indiana businessman Dan Towriss and Mark Walter, owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. This new team is expected to join F1 in 2026.
Spectacle of glitz, glamour
While the announcement of the new American team was withheld to avoid overshadowing the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which is a major showcase for Liberty Media, there was no shortage of glitz and glamour at the event. The race featured nightclubs around the circuit, a rooftop ice-skating rink, top musical acts, and a 10 p.m. local start to give it the feel of a true Las Vegas Saturday night spectacle. Despite reduced expenses this year, Liberty Media continued to make the event as extravagant as possible.
