Max Verstappen became Formula 1 world champion for the fourth time after clinching the 2024 title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Verstappen, 27, is the sixth driver in the history of the sport to win at least four world titles.

Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton have each won a record seven, with 1950s Argentine legend Juan-Manuel Fangio on five ahead of Alain Prost, Sebastian Vettel and now Verstappen on four.

Having won every Driver’s Championship since winning his first during the controversial end to the 2021 season, Verstappen now joins Hamilton, Fangio and Vettel in winning four consecutive titles.

Only Schumacher has achieved a series of five.

After the most dominant season in history in 2023, when he won a record 19 out of 22 races, Verstappen looked set to walk away with the championship after taking seven of this year’s first 10 victories.

But an unexpected dip in form from Red Bull, combined with McLaren’s emergence as the grid’s most consistent favorite and Ferrari’s own step forward since the summer break, had seen Lando Norris mount a late challenge seasonal.

“It’s been a long season. Of course we started amazing, it was almost like a cruise, but then we had a difficult journey,” Verstappen said.

“But as a team we stuck together, we continued to work on improvement and we got across the finish line.

“I’m incredibly proud of everyone, what they’ve done for me.

“And to be here as a four-time world champion is of course something I never thought possible. So, at the moment I just feel relieved, in a way, but also very proud.”

But as Red Bull lost leadership of the Constructors’ Championship and slipped to third place amid sustained struggles for Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s ability to continue scoring good points meant his advantage was reduced more gradually from a season high of 84 points after. British Grand Prix in July.

Norris had reduced his score to 44 points by winning the Sprint at the Sao Paulo GP earlier this month, but the title race turned decisively in Verstappen’s favor a day later as the Dutchman achieved a sublime run during the rainy Grand Prix to win from 17th place. on the grid while rival McLaren fell to sixth from pole.

Verstappen’s first comprehensive victory in five months restored a commanding 62-point lead and meant he would win the title in Las Vegas by finishing ahead of Norris, which he achieved on Sunday morning by taking fifth place in the race – one place ahead of rival McLaren, who was struggling to find pace.

Although Verstappen moved up to second behind eventual winner George Russell in the early stages of the race, he was relegated from the podium to fifth during the long second stint on hard tires after being overtaken by Lewis Hamilton and then by the Ferrari duo of Carlos Sainz. and Charles Leclerc.

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