Las Vegas GP: Russell dominates, Verstappen four-time World Champion
F1 NewsSunday, 24 November 2024 at 08:30
George Russell controlled and dominated all 50 laps of the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix, leading his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton to victory on the night Max Verstappen was crowned Formula 1 World Champion for a fourth time.
Finally, Verstappen claimed this year's world title, his fourth, by doing exactly what he had to do tonight in Las Vegas, namely beat Lando Norris. This the Dutchman did with ease on an underwhelmingand hence disappointing weekend for McLaren.
Credit to Verstappen for doing exactly what he had to do and not being tempted to punt off Hamilton, instead giving the Mercedes man a free pass. With the title on his mind and Max, thinking like a champion, kept to his game plan to finish P5. Norris was P6. Game over.
Thus on Lap 50, victory might not have been his tonight, but Verstappen did enough to join F1 greats Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel as a four-time F1 World Champion. Only Hamilton and Michael Schumacher have more.
Mercedes dominated on a weekend when their car blossomed in the icy conditions. Russell had as perfect a race weekend as a driver could wish for. Doing the business on Saturday in Qualifying, from pole position, he had a car length into Turn 1 and thereafter controlled the race.
Russell controlled the lead despite Hamilton's strong late-race pace
At one point over 16 seconds in the lead, Russell allowed Hamilton to close to around five seconds and kept it pegged around there. The seven-time F1 World Champion blasting from P10 to P2, one of those drives that remind all how good he really is.
Emotional, Verstappen said on the slow-down lap over the team radio: "Oh my god, man! What a season. Four times. Thank you, guys. Thank you to everyone. It was a little bit more difficult than last year, but we pulled through, and we gave it our all. I never thought this was possible, but thanks to you guys, it is, so thanks again."
The 2024 F1 Drivers title was clinched tonight, but the Constructors' battle took an interesting turn with Ferrari closing in on McLaren, taking it all the way.
Carlos Sainz took the final podium spot after a night-long battle with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, the latter nipping ahead early in the race before the Spaniard got the place back.
The result means that the Reds are 12 points closer to McLaren in the standings with a couple of GPs and a Sprint Race to go, the gap now a mere 24 points. Game on!
McLaren were Missing in Action this weekend
Norris capitulated meekly, finishing P6 in a race he needed to win and beat Verstappen solidly. That did not happen as the Briton and his team were simply not in it to win it on an underwhelming weekend in Las Vegas. Piastri was P7. That 2024 F1 Constructors' title they thought they had in the bag is going to need defending.
P8 for Nico Hulkenberg could be worth around $20- million in prize money, as Haas, on 50 points, has nipped past Alpine by a single point in the standings and now is P6 in the F1 Constructors standings, with VCARB on 46 points in P8.
Yuki Tsunoda stayed out of trouble to finish P9 in the VCARB, heading home Sergio Perez, who claimed the last point with P10, his double overtake of Liam Lawson and Kevin Magnussen probably the one highlight of the Mexican's dismal season.
A final word to F1's newest four-time World Champion, Max Verstappen: "It’s been a long season. Of course, we started off amazing, it was almost like cruising but then we had a tough run. But as a team we kept it together, we kept working on improvement and we pulled over the line.
"I’m incredibly proud of everyone, what they have done for me. And to stand here as a four-time world champion is of course something that I never thought was possible. So, at the moment just feeling relieved, in a way, but also very proud," declared the 27-year-old Dutchman.
Report in progress...
2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix Result
How the Las Vegas Grand Prix Unfolded
Top 14 on Pirelli yellow Mediums; Perez, Bottas and from the pit lane Colapinto on Hards; Alonso only driver on Softs.
Good start from Russell, who takes the lead with Leclerc up two places, to P2 ahead of Sainz, Gasly, Verstappen and Norris on the opening lap.
Lap 2: DRS Enabled. Russell leads Leclerc by under a second. Gasly in P4 holding up Verstappen and Norris.
Lap 5: Leclerc attacks Russell for the lead, big pressure, but the Mercedes holds out. Sainz is closing on Leclerc. Verstappen gets past Ocon, who has Norris in his mirrors. Piastri investigated for false start.
Lap 8: Sainz reclaims P2 from Leclerc who struggles, Verstappen takes P3. Russell 3.5s ahead setting the fastest lap at this point. Hamilton takes P8 from Piastri, and attacks Tsunoda for P7.
Lap 9: Norris overtakes Pierre Gasly for P5.
Lap 10, Top 10:
Lap 10: Norris and Leclerc pit for tyres.
Lap 11: Sainz tyres go off the cliff, Verstappen takes P2 from the Ferrari. Piastri 5-second penalty confirmed
Lap 12: Verstappen pits from P2, and emerges ahead of the Ferrari duo and Norris. Russell pits from the lead, comes out in P2.
Lap 13: Hamilton is yet to stop, leads. Verstappen and both Ferraris powering through the field towards the front.
Lap 14: Hamilton pits from the lead and emerges behind Norris. Russell leads Perez by 7.5s, the RBR yet to pit.
Lap 16: Verstappen and Sainz overtake Perez who has yet to box. Gasly reports power loss and slows as he drives to the pits for a DNF.
Lap 17: Hamilton sets the fastest lap and overtakes Lando for P5.
Lap 18: Russell leads Verstappen by 10.0s. Perez pits for fresh rubber, emerging P14. The entire field have stopped once at this stage.
Lap 20, Top 10:
Lap 20: Hamilton stalking Leclerc for P4. Hulkenberg has Albon's P9 in his sights.
Lap 25: Perez overtakes Lawson for P12.
Lap 26. Albon told to retire his Williams. Piastri makes a second stop and serves his penalty. Sainz complains about no grip with Leclerc in his mirrors and Hamilton on their tails.
Lap 27: Sainz hanging on to P3, calls to box before Leclerc overtakes his teammate who overshoots his pit entry
Lap 28: Verstappen boxes for his second set of Hard tyres, emerging behind Norris. Hamilton also pits.
Lap 30, Top 10:
Lap 30: Russell well in command in the lead. Sainz finally pits.
Lap 32: Norris pits from P4, emerges P7. Hamilton takes P2 from Verstappen. Mercedes 1-2 with Russell yet to stop. Leclerc pits for Hards.
Lap 33: Russell pits from the lead, the Mercedes emerges still in P1 with a 12.0s gap over hard-charging Hamilton.
Lap 36: Setting fastest laps Hamilton 9.0s adrift of Russell in P1 and closing fast.
Lap 38: Mega-brave move from Perez to take Lawson and Magnussen for P12.
Lap 40, Top 10:
Lap 40: Ferrari duo closing on Verstappen.
Lap 42: Russell's lead over Hamilton is down to 5.5s. Sainz overtakes Verstappen for P3 through Turn 14. Leclerc stalks the Red Bull.
Lap 45: Hulkenberg gets past Tsunoda for P8.
Lap 46: Leclerc dives inside Verstappen into Turn 14 to take P4.
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