Max Verstappen wins Las Vegas Grand Prix, narrows F1 points gap
This is the Dutchman’s second victory in three years on the streets of Las Vegas, using part of the famous Strip. He won the inaugural race in 2023 and clinched his fourth consecutive title there last year.
Now he’s picked up another win at an event he disparaged before his debut, as promoters focused on celebrities and parties rather than actual competition. But when it comes time to get in the car, whatever Verstappen thinks of the event, he looks to have a blast.
Verstappen started second but took control of the race at the first corner when current points leader Lando Norris made an aggressive move to get ahead of him at the start, only to slide his McLaren to the outside of the corner. Verstappen moved into the lead and George Russell passed Norris into second.
Norris found himself stuck in third place and teammate Oscar Piastri fared no better as the Australian lost two places at the start, dropping from fifth to seventh. The two McLaren drivers have swapped leads in the driver standings all season, with Norris sitting 24 points ahead of Piastri at the start, while Verstappen was 49 points behind.
Norris finished second and Russell third, and with two races left in the season, Norris was 30 points ahead of Piastri, and Verstappen narrowed the gap to 42 points. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli crossed the finish line in fourth place, but was relegated to fifth place as a result of a penalty, moving Piastri to fourth place. The big mover of the race was seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who finished 20th in Ferrari’s first final qualifying since 2009. He actually started from 19th and immediately gained six places. Hamilton steadily found his way through the field and finished 10th.
It was Verstappen’s eighth consecutive podium finish, beating Norris by nearly 20 seconds.
