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Verstappen lights up Las Vegas with fourth F1 title
Verstappen finished where he started in fifth but that was all the Dutch driver needed to put the championship, already effectively over, out of reach of McLaren rival Lando Norris with two rounds to spare.
Norris took the chequered flag in sixth, also where he started, making a late pitstop for fresh tyres to secure a bonus point for fastest lap that still left him an insurmountable 63 points adrift.
“What a season. Four times. Thank you guys. Thank you to everyone,” Verstappen said over the radio after being congratulated by team boss Christian Horner.
“It was a little bit more difficult than last year but we pulled through and we gave it all.”
Norris was quick to recognise his rival’s achievement: “As much as it hurts a little bit, saying congrats doesn’t hurt,” he said.
“He drove an incredible season and when you have the quickest car he dominated and when he didn’t he was still there and always on my heels. He made my life tough, we made his tough at times I’m sure, but he drove a better season.”
Russell led away cleanly from pole position, fending off Charles Leclerc who surged from fourth to second at the start, and was never troubled as Hamilton charged back from 10th on the grid on a cold desert night.
“I was planning on flying in a couple of hours but I’m definitely not getting on that flight,” said the race winner. “I will enjoy this evening with all my team.
“It’s been a dream of a weekend. I don’t know how I’ve been so quick but I’m just enjoying this ride right now.”
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was third with team mate Leclerc unhappy in fourth, after suffering early tyre trouble, as the Italian team cut the gap in the constructors’ standings to McLaren to 24 points.
Oscar Piastri was seventh for McLaren, despite collecting a five second penalty for a false start, and Nico Hulkenberg was eighth for U.S.-owned Haas.
Yuki Tsunoda took points for RB in ninth and Verstappen’s struggling team mate Sergio Perez got himself back on the scoreboard in 10th.