F1 news LIVE: Las Vegas GP reaction as champion Max Verstappen speaks about Red Bull future
F1 news after the Vegas GP as Verstappen claimed his fourth straight world championship
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Your support makes all the difference.Max Verstappen was crowned F1 World Champion for the fourth time as the Dutchman finished above title rival Lando Norris at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver won his fourth straight title with two races to spare, as Norris can no longer catch Verstappen in the standings after he could only finish sixth.
Verstappen, meanwhile, finished fifth behind the Mercedes pair of George Russell, who won from pole, and Lewis Hamilton. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished third and second for Ferrari.
The 27-year-old has eight race wins this season, including a dominant run at the start of the year, but Norris closed the gap over the second half of the campaign. However, Verstappen delivered a crucial win in Brazil last week and produced another stellar drive in Las Vegas to retain the world title.
F1 Las Vegas GP LIVE: Formation lap!
George Russell leads the cars around this Vegas circuit then for the formation lap!
The top-14 all start on medium tyres, with a one-stop strategy likely over this 50-lap grand prix, while Fernando Alonso in P16 surprisingly starts on soft tyres!
Here we go then - who will lead after turn one?!
F1 Las Vegas GP LIVE: A reminder of the starting grid...
1. George Russell
2. Carlos Sainz
3. Pierre Gasly
4. Charles Leclerc
5. Max Verstappen
6. Lando Norris
7. Yuki Tsunoda
8. Oscar Piastri
9. Nico Hulkenberg
10. Lewis Hamilton
11. Esteban Ocon
12. Kevin Magnussen
13. Zhou Guanyu
14. Liam Lawson
15. Sergio Perez
16. Fernando Alonso
17. Alex Albon
18. Lance Stroll
19. Valtteri Bottas*
Pit lane. Franco Colapinto**
*Bottas has a five-place grid penalty for taking a new engine
**Colapinto will start from the pit lane after his crash in qualifying
F1 Las Vegas GP LIVE: Mercedes boss Toto Wolff...
For Russell’s start: “You need to create a gap in the first couple of corners because we are lacking straight-line speed.
“It’s always a balancing act.”
F1 Las Vegas GP LIVE: Lando Norris, who starts P6...
“I don’t think any car feels good around here.
“The car has good pace, it’s going to be a challenging day.”
F1 Las Vegas GP LIVE: Max Verstappen, ahead of what could be a title-winning night...
“It’s very windy, it’s very difficult to break.
“It’s still quite cold, it’s going to be tough on tyres.”
Typically focused answer from the Dutchman!
F1 Las Vegas GP LIVE: Franco Colapinto, who starts in the pit-lane...
“I’m OK. A bit sore but ready to go. The boys did an amazing job to get the car on track. Very grateful.
“I start from the pit lane, long race ahead.”
F1 Las Vegas GP LIVE: Time for the US National anthem!
For the third time this season then, it’s time for Star Spangled Banner ahead of the race!
Performed by Boyz II Men on the grid!
F1 Las Vegas GP LIVE: Noah Lyles on Martin Brundle’s grid walk...
“I can’t even hear a thing. I was just chatting to my fiancee, you never see this is track and field.”
Driver Standings ahead of Las Vegas:
1. Max Verstappen - 393 points
2. Lando Norris - 331 points
3. Charles Leclerc - 307 points
4. Oscar Piastri - 262 points
5. Carlos Sainz - 244 points
6. George Russell - 192 points
7. Lewis Hamilton - 190 points
8. Sergio Perez - 151 points
9. Fernando Alonso - 62 points
10. Nico Hulkenberg - 31 points
11. Yuki Tsunoda - 28 points
12. Pierre Gasly - 26 points
13. Lance Stroll - 24 points
14. Esteban Ocon - 23 points
15. Kevin Magnussen - 14 points
16. Alex Albon - 12 points
17. Daniel Ricciardo - 12 points
18. Ollie Bearman - 7 points
19. Franco Colapinto - 5 points
20. Liam Lawson - 4 points
21. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points
22. Logan Sargeant - 0 points
23. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points
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