Verstappen was fighting tyre graining, not his rivals, in title-winning drive · RaceFans

The drive to victory in Brazil which put Max Verstappen within touching distance of the world championship earlier this month was a masterpiece of wheel-to-wheel combat and wet weather skill.

But in contract, the performance which secured his title in Las Vegas last weekend was all about restraint and discipline. This was a drive in which he actively avoided getting into fights with his rivals while keeping both eyes fixed on the state of his tyres.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix was widely tipped to be a one-stop race. On paper, that was the quickest way to the chequered flag, if drivers could stop their tyres from graining.

But in the cool night conditions, the medium compound tyres almost everyone started on went off very quickly. From that moment on a two-stop strategy was likely for the entire field.

Verstappen lined up fifth, one place ahead of the only driver who could beat him to the title, Lando Norris. As the race unfolded Red Bull knew they had two priorities: To keep their tyres alive and to stay ahead of the McLaren. This selection of Verstappen’s radio chatter with race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase shows how they did it.

Verstappen’s Las Vegas Grand Prix radio messages

Jump to:

“This won’t take long”
“You want me to match that?”
“Norris and Piastri do have problems”
“How can I give the front more life”
“Don’t lose sight of our aim”
“Think about what I said at turn 11”
“You want me to keep them behind?”
“Norris at 11.8”
“Another lovely season in the books”

“This won’t take long”

Verstappen saw Leclerc head for the pits as early as lap eight as his medium rubber started to grain, and warned his team he would be in the same trouble soon:

“You want me to match that?”

Lambiase made sure Verstappen understood the team’s priority wasn’t to try to chase down race leader George Russell: