Max Verstappen clinched his fourth consecutive Formula 1 championship with a fifth-place finish at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday night, ensuring his title with two races remaining. Verstappen needed only to stay ahead of Lando Norris, who finished sixth, and he did so comfortably, securing the championship with a solid performance despite a tough start to the weekend.
This victory marked a historic achievement for Verstappen, making him the fifth driver in F1 history to win at least four consecutive titles. He joins an elite group that includes Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher, and Juan Manuel Fangio. Hamilton, who won four consecutive championships between 2017 and 2020, was the last driver to achieve this feat. With Verstappen’s dominance, only four drivers have won a world championship in the past eight seasons, with Nico Rosberg’s 2016 title breaking the streak between Hamilton and Verstappen.
The weekend had a rocky start for Verstappen, as Red Bull struggled to find the right pace during the first two practice sessions. In addition, the team mistakenly brought the wrong rear wing to the track, opting for a higher-downforce attachment instead of the smaller wing needed for the long straightaway along Las Vegas Boulevard. Despite these setbacks, Verstappen qualified in fifth and quickly moved up to second during the race’s opening stages. Though he dropped back in the latter part of the race, he stayed far ahead of Norris, who finished nearly 10 seconds behind him.
The 2024 season has been different for Verstappen compared to his record-breaking performances in 2022 and 2023, where he won 19 of 22 races. However, despite the car not being as dominant as in previous years, Verstappen has still been the top driver, consistently outperforming his teammate Sergio Perez, who has faced ongoing struggles.
George Russell secured his second win of the season, while his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton finished second after an impressive drive from 10th. The Las Vegas Grand Prix also saw a historic achievement, as seven drivers—Verstappen, Norris, Russell, Hamilton, Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc, and Oscar Piastri—have won at least two races in 2024, a first in F1 history.
