The Las Vegas GP was a weekend of complete dominance for Mercedes. George Russell led the charge, taking his second win of the season, while Lewis Hamilton climbed from P10 to P2, completing a triumphant result for the team. Carlos Sainz claimed the third spot on the podium.
However, the spotlight was on Max Verstappen, who strategically secured 5th place, clinching his fourth World Championship title. This achievement places him among legends like Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel. The victory is even more significant considering the mid-season decline in Red Bull’s performance.
Race Highlights
Start of the Race
The race began with Charles Leclerc emerging as the big winner from the start, overtaking both Sainz and Gasly to claim second place. Russell held the lead but soon came under pressure from Leclerc. Attempts by the Monégasque to overtake Russell in laps 4 and 5 were unsuccessful, resulting in significant tire wear on his medium Pirelli tires.
By lap 9, Leclerc pitted due to severe degradation, followed by Sainz, Norris, and Piastri, who switched to hard tires by lap 11. Piastri also served a 5-second penalty for incorrect grid positioning.
Mercedes in Control
Mercedes displayed the strongest pace of the weekend. Hamilton made an impressive climb, reaching P3 by lap 11. After Russell pitted in lap 13, Hamilton briefly took the lead before his own stop a lap later. This reshuffled the field, with Russell regaining the lead.
When the positions stabilized, Russell held a 10-second gap to Verstappen in second. The Dutchman, however, came under threat from the faster Ferraris of Sainz and Leclerc.
Verstappen Secures the Title
Verstappen focused on championship strategy. He dropped to P5 after Sainz and Leclerc overtook him but maintained the position required to secure the title. Meanwhile, Hamilton consistently closed the gap to Russell, setting fastest laps and reducing the margin to 7 seconds with 10 laps remaining.
In the constructors’ battle, Ferrari aimed to close the gap to McLaren. Sainz and Leclerc put pressure on Verstappen but could not significantly alter the outcome.
Final Standings
Russell took the checkered flag, with Hamilton completing the 1-2 for Mercedes. Verstappen’s P5 finish was sufficient for him to claim his fourth World Championship title, joining the ranks of F1 greats.
