Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive Formula One World Championship on Saturday at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, cementing his status among the sport’s legends.
While George Russell of Mercedes claimed victory under the dazzling lights of the Las Vegas Strip, Verstappen’s fifth-place finish was enough to seal the championship.
The 27-year-old Dutchman joins an elite group of drivers—Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Juan Manuel Fangio, Sebastian Vettel, and Alain Prost—who have won at least four world titles.
Reflecting on the achievement, Verstappen expressed his gratitude to the Red Bull team.
“Oh my god, what a season! Four times—thank you, guys,” he said over the radio.
“It was a little more difficult than last year, but we pulled through.”
The race itself delivered high drama, with Russell leading from pole to take his first victory of the season.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton finished second after an impressive charge through the field, while the Ferrari duo of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc took third and fourth respectively.
Lando Norris, Verstappen’s only remaining title rival, finished in sixth place after a challenging race. Starting just behind Verstappen in sixth on the grid, Norris’s early pit stop on lap 10 dropped him to 17th.
Despite his best efforts to recover, Norris couldn’t match the pace needed to challenge Verstappen’s dominant lead in the championship standings.
Verstappen’s campaign was marked by relentless consistency, and his performance in Las Vegas was a reflection of that resilience.
Although he was overtaken by Sainz, Leclerc, and eventually Hamilton, Verstappen maintained a calculated approach, knowing fifth place was enough to clinch the title.
The Dutchman’s historic achievement caps another stellar season for Red Bull, underscoring their dominance in the sport.
Meanwhile, Russell’s win adds a bright spot for Mercedes, who have struggled to match Red Bull’s pace this year.
With just one race left in the season, Verstappen and Red Bull have already shifted focus to maintaining their supremacy in 2025.
However, for the Dutch champion, the celebrations in Las Vegas are well-deserved as he continues to build his legacy in Formula One.