Las Vegas: Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive Formula 1 championship on Saturday night, finishing fifth at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Verstappen’s task was simple: finish ahead of Lando Norris from McLaren to clinch Red Bull’s fourth consecutive driver championship. Starting in fifth place, the Dutchman quickly advanced to second by the 10th lap, navigating the street circuit that boasts the iconic Las Vegas Strip.
Norris, needing to outscore Verstappen by at least three points to keep the championship battle alive, ended up sixth. Verstappen, requiring only a finish above Norris, clinched the title with two races left in the season.
George Russell took the race victory, followed by Lewis Hamilton, marking Mercedes’ first 1-2 finish since 2022. Hamilton, starting from 10th — just two weeks after a tough race in Brazil — secured a podium finish.
The pair took the checkered flag under the wave of actor Sylvester Stallone.
Carlos Sainz Jr. claimed third for Ferrari, keeping the constructor championship closely contested between McLaren, the current leader, and Ferrari. Charles Leclerc, Sainz’s teammate, came in fourth. Red Bull, having secured the roughly $150 million prize money title in the last two seasons, now ranks third in the standings.
The fight for the constructor championship is likely to continue until the season finale in Abu Dhabi next month. McLaren leads Ferrari by 24 points as they head into the upcoming Qatar race.
