There’s hardly a better place to celebrate a world title than Las Vegas. Max Verstappen, who is crowned Formula 1 world champion for the fourth time in Sin City, also knows this. The Dutchman sets the tone after the race.
Las Vegas celebrated the new world champion on the huge ball “The Sphere”, and Max Verstappen received his first congratulations in the car. “Oh my God. What a season,” the now four-time Formula 1 champion replied: “I didn’t think it was possible.”
The 27-year-old Dutchman took advantage of his first title opportunity and clinched his fourth World Championship title in a row in the glittering metropolis. Verstappen drove in a controlled manner at all times, took no risks and secured the drivers’ world championship early with fifth place. “Today was a tactical masterpiece,” emphasized Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko: “He brought the car home in a really big way.”
Mercedes celebrated a surprising double success: George Russell won ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who was one of the first to congratulate Verstappen. Carlos Sainz came third in the Ferrari ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc.
Verstappen’s challenger Lando Norris, who definitely should have crossed the finish line ahead of the defending champion and caught up with at least three points to keep the title fight alive, couldn’t get past sixth place in the McLaren. “You can be incredibly proud. “That was a phenomenal performance,” said team boss Christian Horner, before Verstappen and his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase were chauffeured to the world championship honors. “We are the Champions” by Queen was booming from the speakers along the route.
There is hardly a better place to celebrate a world title than Las Vegas. Verstappen obviously knows this too. When asked during the world champion interview what he was planning to do now, he replied with a smile: “We are in Las Vegas. What time is it? Now I’m just thirsty.”
Verstappen draws level with Sebastian Vettel
With his fourth triumph, Verstappen drew level on the all-time best list with Sebastian Vettel, who won the drivers’ championship four times in a row with Red Bull from 2010 to 2013, and the Frenchman Alain Prost. Only the two record world champions Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton with seven each and the Argentinian Juan-Manuel Fangio with five have more world titles. “He is a true great in this sport and still has so much ahead of him in his impressive career,” said Formula 1 managing director Stefano Domenicali, congratulating the old and new champion.
“It was a long season. We stuck together as a team. I am incredibly proud of everyone who supported me. I feel incredibly relieved and proud at the moment. Standing here as a four-time world champion is simply incredible. It was a very challenging season. Next year will be a real battle between all the good cars. But I’m hungry for more,” said Verstappen.
For the Formula 1 bosses, the dream scenario became reality with the decision in the third to last race of the season. The drivers were introduced in Vegas style with boxing ring announcer Michael Buffer. Verstappen, not a fan of the big show, politely waved to the enthusiastic fans in the grandstand seats, some of which were outrageously expensive, as he walked across the red carpet. The fact that Formula 1 has long since arrived in the USA was also demonstrated by the more than 300,000 spectators on the three Grand Prix days.
Superstars casserole in Las Vegas
And the two World Cup rivals could hardly have done better for the excitement factor: the Dutchman was in fifth place on the starting grid, Norris in sixth. Verstappen and Norris drove their cars right next to each other on the starting grid, past all the stars like Hollywood greats Jared Leto, Sylvester Stallone and Michael Douglas or singers like Axl Rose and sports aces like Olympic sprint champion Noah Lyles.
Boyz II Men performed the American anthem relatively cautiously before the music only played on the asphalt, especially between Verstappen and Norris. The Brit quickly realized that he had no chance against Verstappen this time.
Advance praise from the German Red Bull boss for Verstappen
Because in a turbulent year for the team from Austria, there was only one constant at Red Bull: Verstappen. “He never lost sight of his goal of becoming world champion,” said company managing director Oliver Mintzlaff before the race. “It was of course a tough year,” said Horner, who was involved in a scandal right at the start of the season due to allegations made by an employee. In addition, there were public power struggles in which Verstappen’s father Jos got involved and verbally fired against Horner.
His son wasn’t particularly bothered by the many sideshows. The car, which was weak after seven victories in the first ten races, was more of a problem for him. He remained without a win in ten Grands Prix before he returned pre-world champion in the rain in Brazil and gave himself the chance to win the title in Vegas. He used them.
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