Max Verstappen secured his fourth straight Formula One championship in the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday, becoming only the sixth driver in history to achieve this feat. The Dutchman, 27, finished fifth in a race dominated by George Russell of Mercedes but had already amassed an unassailable points lead in the season standings.
Expressing his joy, Verstappen said over the team radio, “Oh my god, what a season, four times, thank you guys. It’s a little more difficult than last year, but we pulled through. Thank you so much.”
The Grand Prix saw seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton finish second, while Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc took third and fourth, respectively. Verstappen’s closest title rival, McLaren’s Lando Norris, ended the race in sixth.
Starting sixth on the grid, Norris made an early pit stop on the 10th lap, dropping him to 17th place. Verstappen followed suit two laps later, switching to hard tires and rejoining in sixth. By the midpoint of the race, Russell held a commanding lead, with Ferrari and Mercedes drivers forming a buffer between Verstappen and Norris.
Hamilton delivered a strong performance, moving through the field from tenth to secure second place, overtaking both Ferraris and Verstappen. Russell, however, remained untouchable, finishing 11 seconds ahead of his Mercedes teammate.
Verstappen joins legends like Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Juan Manuel Fangio, Sebastian Vettel, and Alain Prost in the elite group of four-time title winners.
While Russell celebrated his dominant victory, Verstappen’s consistency throughout the season secured his place as the 2024 Formula One World Champion, further cementing his legacy in the sport.
