Las Vegas GP: Max Verstappen wins fourth F1 world title as George Russell takes chequered flag

Verstappen finishes race in fifth place to clinch drivers' crown for a fourth year in a row

Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished fifth at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, enough to give him an unassailable lead in the F1 drivers' championship to clinch a fourth world title. AFP

World champion Max Verstappen waves to the crowd after the Las Vegas GP. AFP

Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the 2024 F1 world championship title with Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso. Reuters

Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after finishing fifth at the Las Vegas GP to clinch the F1 drivers' championship. Reuters

Red Bull's Max Verstappen crosses the line to finish the race in fifth place. Reuters

Max Verstappen of Red Bull fends off Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. Getty

Mercedes driver George Russell, of Britain, celebrates after winning the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Reuters

George Russell of Mercedes celebrates on top of his car after winning the Las Vegas race. Reuters

George Russell of Mercedes leads Charles Leclerc of Ferrari on his way to winning the race. Getty

Mercedes' British driver George Russell celebrates winning the Las Vegas Formula One Grand Prix in Las Vegas, Nevada. AFP

Mercedes driver George Russell, of Britain, leads the field. AP

Red Bull's Max Verstappen clinched the Formula One world championship for the fourth time, and fourth year in a row, after finishing fifth in the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday.

With two rounds to spare, the 27-year-old Dutch driver took an unbeatable 63-point lead over McLaren's Lando Norris in the championship.

George Russell won the night race from pole position in a Mercedes one-two finish with teammate Lewis Hamilton, who started 10th.

Verstappen needed only to outscore Norris to become just the sixth driver in Formula One history to win four titles or more.

And, with Norris taking the chequered flag in only sixth, Verstappen is guaranteed the world crown with two races remaining.

“Max Verstappen you are a four-time world champion,” said Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said over the radio. “That is a phenomenal, phenomenal achievement. That is a phenomenal, phenomenal achievement. You can be incredibly proud of yourself as we are."

“Oh my God man,” said an emotional Verstappen. “What a season. Four times. It was a little bit more difficult than last year.”

It means there will be no end-of-season showdown at the Etihad Airways Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 8, though the constructors' championship looks like going down to the final race at Yas Marina Circuit.

Carlos Sainz finished third for Ferrari, one place ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc. The constructors championship remains a tight battle between leader's McLaren and Ferrari. Red Bull had won the title that pays roughly $150 million in prize money the past two seasons but have slipped to third in the standings.

McLaren hold a 24-point lead over Ferrari headed into this weekend's race in Qatar. Red Bull also made a dent in that margin and now sit within striking distance themselves, 53 points out with two races remaining.

Verstappen, meanwhile, made easy work of Norris after a season where the McLaren driver pushed him harder than he'd been challenged since Verstappen's first title in 2021.

“To stand here as a four-time world champion is something I never thought would be possible,” Verstappen told actor Terry Crews, who moderated the podium news conference held in front of the Bellagio's famed fountains.

“It was a very challenging season and I had to be calm. I think this season taught me a lot of lessons and we handled it well as a team, so that of course makes it a very special and beautiful season.”

Russell’s third victory was the most dominant of his career so far, crossing the line 7.3 seconds clear of Hamilton, but the night on the Strip will be remembered for Verstappen cementing his name among the sport’s greats.

Verstappen’s fourth title, all but sealed three weeks ago following his wet-weather masterclass in Brazil, sees him emulate Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel as a four-time world champion, with only Hamilton and Michael Schumacher (both with seven) and Juan Manuel Fangio (five) now ahead of the all-conquering Dutchman in the record books.

Verstappen beat Hamilton in deeply contentious circumstances in the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi to claim his first championship in 2021 before going on to win his next two titles in a period of domination rarely, if ever, seen in the sport.

And after he raced to four wins from the opening five rounds this year – against the backdrop of the furore surrounding his boss, Red Bull team principal Horner – many F1 observers were expecting the Dutchman to run away with the title.

But Red Bull’s superiority suddenly vanished into thin air, with McLaren, Ferrari and even Mercedes at times boasting quicker cars.

Red Bull are on course to finish third in the constructors’ championship this year. This century only Hamilton in 2008 with McLaren, and Verstappen in 2021, have won the drivers’ title when their team did not win the constructors’ championship.

Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez crossed the line 10th here. The Mexican is also a lowly eighth in the individual standings to show Verstappen has truly outperformed his machine.

Verstappen started fourth in Las Vegas and worked his way up to second before Hamilton zoomed past on lap 31.

Verstappen then came under pressure from both Sainz and Leclerc in the closing stages, with the Spaniard moving past on lap 42 before Leclerc relegated the Red Bull man to fifth five laps later.

But Verstappen, who has won only one of the last 12 races, crossed the line comfortably clear of Norris to be sure of the title.

Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali congratulated Verstappen as fireworks exploded over the Vegas Strip.

"He is a true great of this sport and has so much more to look forward to in his impressive career," he said.

"This season has been thrilling and 2025 looks set to be even closer."

For Mercedes, the grid’s once-all conquering team will be staggered at their pace here.

Russell’s win never looked in doubt after he nailed his start, while Hamilton picked off the opposition at will to make up eight places with relative ease.