3 hours Ago By Hannah Kennelly
Max Verstappen has clinched his fourth consecutive Formula 1 driver’s title, edging out rival Lando Norris with two races to spare despite finishing fifth at the star-studded Las Vegas Grand Prix. The Dutchman roared across the finish line in fifth place, while Mercedes duo George Russell and Lewis Hamilton secured a one-two finish in windy conditions. To keep his championship dreams alive, Norris needed to outscore Verstappen by three points, but the McLaren did not have the pace to challenge the Red Bull.
“Four times, thank you guys ...
it was a little bit more difficult than last year ...
,” Verstappen said breathlessly over the radio. Verstappen started fifth on the street circuit with his McLaren rival next to him in sixth place. The duo went side by side into turn one before Verstappen edged ahead to maintain his spot, while pole-sitter Russell cruised ahead to lead the pack.
Not even a plastic bag stuck under the body of his Mercedes could stop Russell, who comfortably won the grand prix – his third victory. Mercedes driver George Russell won the Las Vegas Grand Prix Credit: AP Norris failed to come close to Verstappen during the race, though he did secure the fastest lap. He finished in sixth place.
Mechanical issues plagued the midfield with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly retiring due to an engine failure and Williams’ Alex Albon also failing to finish, with commentators suggesting debris many have been caught in his car. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri started eighth on the grid but copped a five-second penalty after a false start. Max Verstappen has won a fourth straight drivers’ title.
Credit: Getty Images The Melburnian finished in seventh place, wounding McLaren’s standings in the constructor’s championship. Qualifying was delayed earlier in the weekend after Williams rookie Franco Colapinto clipped the wall and slammed into the barrier, littering the track with shattered debris. The Argentinian suffered an impact of 50G but was cleared to race after passing a medical evaluation, starting the grand prix from pit lane.
The glitz and glam of the Las Vegas Grand Prix attracted numerous Hollywood A-listers including model Winnie Harlow, actor Sylvester Stallone, singer Adele and chef Gordon Ramsay. Sylvester Stallone waves the chequered flag. Credit: Getty Images Actor Brad Pitt was also spotted on track earlier in the weekend, filming scenes for his upcoming motorsport film F1 – for which Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton is serving as the executive producer.
Footage showed the actor stumbling away from a crash, clouded by smoke before collapsing on the ground. While the drivers’ championship is over, the battle for the constructors’ championship is still wide open. Red Bull are still third in the fight for the constructors’ title, on 555 points – trailing McLaren (608) and Ferrari (584) .
There are only two rounds of the season left – Qatar from November 29 to December 1, and the season finale in Abu Dhabi from December 6 to 8..
