Two events remain on the 2024 Formula One schedule, but the drivers have already decided the outcome of one battle. Max Verstappen has won the F1 World Championship and joined an elite list.
The Dutch driver clinched his fourth consecutive title by finishing fifth in Saturday night's Las Vegas Grand Prix. He finished one spot ahead of Lando Norris, who has been his main challenger this season. Norris needed to outscore Verstappen by three points to keep his title hopes but failed to do so.
George Russell won the Las Vegas Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Verstappen is now the sixth driver with at least four championships. He is tied with Sebastian Vettel and Alain Prost. Juan Manuel Fangio has five championships. Michael Schumacher and Hamilton each have seven titles.
What a team 🫶#F1 || #LasVegasGP pic.twitter.com/OO1ZvccXRm
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) November 24, 2024
This season was less dominant than Verstappen's previous three championship campaigns. He has only won eight of the 22 Grands Prix, and he went through a 10-event winless stretch. Two more opportunities remain for him to reach double-digit wins on the season.
Meanwhile, Norris won three Grands Prix and posted 12 podium finishes. This kept him within reach of Verstappen heading into the final stretch of the season.
"It's been a long season and of course we started off amazing, it was almost like cruising, but then we had a tough run," Verstappen said after the race, per F1.
"But as a team, we kept it together, we kept working on improvements and we pulled off the win. Incredibly proud of everyone, what they have done for me... So at the moment I'm just feeling very relieved, in a way, but also proud."
The first time Verstappen won the world championship was in 2021. He won 10 Grands Prix and beat Hamilton by eight points. One season later, he won 15 Grands Prix and beat Charles Leclerc by 146 points.
Verstappen's most dominant season was 2023. He won 19 of the 22 Grands Prix, including 10 straight at one point. He beat Sergio Perez by 290 points.