Max Verstappen wins Formula One World Drivers' Championship 2024 title

Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive Formula One world title under the lights of the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday. The 27-year-old Dutchman finished fifth in the race won by Mercedes' George Russell and became the sixth man to claim four championships, following Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Juan Manuel Fangio, Sebastian Vettel and Alain Prost. McLaren's Lando Norris, Verstappen's only title rival, finished sixth. “Oh my God, what a season, four times over, thank you guys,” Verstappen told his Red Bull team on the radio. “It's a little more difficult than last year, but we got through it. Thank you all so much.” Seven-time champion Hamilton finished second, while the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were third and fourth respectively.

Norris, who had strongly reduced Verstappen's lead in the second half of the season, started from sixth position, just behind his rival on the grid.

He pitted on the 10th lap and dropped to 17th as a result.

After two laps, Verstappen dived, also exchanging the medium tire for the hard on his Red Bull, and rejoined in sixth place.

Once the initial stops were over, pole-sitter Russell was still ahead in his Mercedes.

Verstappen was second with Ferrari pair Sainz and Leclerc as well as Hamilton in the second Mercedes providing an impressive buffer zone between the Dutchman and Norris.

The Englishman's mood darkened under the lights at the halfway mark as he radioed to his team that he was struggling with the front tires of his McLaren.

Meanwhile, Pierre Gasly, who had started third in Alpine, and Williams' Alex Albon were the first to retire.

From 10th on the grid, Hamilton continued to cut through the field, passing the two Ferraris, before comfortably overtaking Verstappen to take second place.

By the 33rd lap, Russell was 11 seconds ahead of his Mercedes teammate.

With the title in front, Verstappen then watched as Sainz and Leclerc also moved ahead, but was safe in the knowledge that finishing fifth would still take the title.