Max Verstappen became a four-time world champion with an assured drive to fifth place during Saturday night’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, while pole-sitter George Russell and the charging Lewis Hamilton earned a one-two finish for Mercedes.
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Verstappen entered the 50-lap encounter knowing that he needed to keep title rival Lando Norris behind him to secure another crown, which the Dutchman achieved by holding position into the first corner and gradually pulling away from the McLaren driver.
Having held a podium spot after the second round of pit stops, Verstappen opted against a fight when the Ferraris arrived at the rear of his Red Bull in the closing laps – both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finding a way past before the chequered flag.
At the front, Russell expertly managed a tricky race in cool, slippery conditions, keeping a fast-starting Leclerc at bay in the early laps – the latter running into tyre troubles due to that aggression – and controlling proceedings thereafter.
Hamilton bounced back from a challenging conclusion to qualifying, which left him 10th on the grid, to work his way through the field and back up teammate Russell, whose win marked the first Mercedes triumph since July’s Belgian Grand Prix.
Norris made a successful bid for the fastest lap in the dying moments as he took sixth and mathematically dropped out of championship contention, with teammate Oscar Piastri crossing the line seventh after a time penalty for a false start.
Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg cleared RB’s Yuki Tsunoda late in what could be crucial for the tight constructors’ battle over P6, especially after second-row starter Pierre Gasly suffered an agonising retirement due to technical trouble aboard his Alpine.
Sergio Perez added a point to Red Bull’s tally in 10th, denying Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, with one-stopping Haas racer Kevin Magnussen 12th from Kick Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu and the Williams of Franco Colapinto, who started in the pit lane following his scary qualifying crash.
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Liam Lawson (RB), Esteban Ocon (Alpine) and Valtteri Bottas (Kick Sauber) were the final finishers after Alex Albon…
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