Max Verstappen wins his fourth consecutive Formula 1 world title

Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive Formula 1 world title under the lights of the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday.

The 27-year-old Dutchman came fifth in a race won by Mercedes’ George Russell as he became just the sixth man after Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Juan Manuel Fangio, Sebastian Vettel and Alain Prost to claim four championships.

McLaren’s Lando Norris, who was Verstappen’s only challenger for the title, finished sixth.

“My God what a season, four times, thanks guys,” Verstappen told the Red Bull team on the radio. “It’s a little more difficult than last year, but we did it. Thanks a lot guys.”

Russell returned 7.313 seconds clear of seven-time champion and Mercedes team-mate Hamilton, who had started from 10th on the grid.

The Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were third and fourth respectively.

Norris, in sixth place, was 43 seconds behind her McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.

Nico Hulkenberg was eighth for Haas ahead of RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull.

Norris, who needed to overtake Verstappen by three points to keep his title hopes alive, took an extra point for fastest lap but his challenge was over.

On a dry, windy and milder night in the Nevada desert, the air and track temperature was 18 degrees as Russell made a perfect start from his fourth pole position and took the lead with Leclerc, from fourth, jumping into second from the grid.

All but Fernando Alonso started in the middle, the Spaniard taking softs that lasted just four laps, while, up front, Leclerc made an early effort to pass Russell and Verstappen swept past Pierre Gasly for fourth.