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Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive Formula 1 world title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, while George Russell delivered a commanding performance to claim victory for Mercedes, holding off a late charge from teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Verstappen joined the elite group of four-time world champions by finishing one place ahead of Lando Norris, securing the 2024 drivers' crown with two rounds to spare. Russell led from the pole position, fending off early pressure from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and later withstanding Hamilton's comeback from 10th place on the grid. The Briton drove flawlessly over the 50 laps, earning his second win of the year and Mercedes' first since the Belgian Grand Prix in July. Hamilton finished seven seconds behind Russell, his performance hindered by two mistakes during the final phase of qualifying, which left him starting from the fifth row despite Mercedes having the fastest car on the Las Vegas Strip Circuit. "I was planning on flying in a couple of hours but I'm definitely not getting on that flight!" said Russell, as quoted by Sky Sports. Verstappen climbed from fifth to second in the initial stint but struggled in the third stint on hard tires, eventually falling out of the podium positions. After being overtaken by Hamilton, Verstappen, mindful of the championship, was subsequently passed by Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. Leclerc, who had been leading until the final pit stops, was initially frustrated after finishing two seconds behind his teammate Sainz, expressing his anger over the team radio. Norris's McLaren struggled throughout the race, finishing 10 seconds behind the Ferraris. To secure the fastest lap point, Norris made a late pit stop, which didn't affect the drivers' title but could be crucial for McLaren's battle in the Constructors' Championship against Ferrari. With Oscar Piastri finishing seventh, McLaren's lead over Ferrari has narrowed to 24 points with two races remaining in the Middle East - first in Qatar next week, followed by Abu Dhabi from December 6-8. Although Red Bull remains in contention for the Constructors' title, they are 54 points behind and must reduce the deficit by at least 10 points in Qatar to keep their hopes alive. Nico Hulkenberg drove impressively to secure eighth place, helping Haas overtake Alpine for sixth in the Constructors' Championship. Yuki Tsunoda finished ninth for RB, ahead of Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull, which started 15th. (ANI)
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