George Russell led Lewis Hamilton in a Mercedes 1-2 in Sin City but the night belonged to Max Verstappen who wrapped up his fourth World title.
Although the Red Bull driver finished the Grand Prix in fifth place, he took an unassailable 63-point lead over Lando Norris with only 60 points still in play.
George Russell wins in Sin City, Max Verstappen crowned 2024 F1 World Champion
Despite concerns about Franco Colapinto after his 50G qualifying crash, the Argentinean joined his rivals for the start of the Las Vegas Grand Prix although did so from the pit lane.
George Russell made a great launch from pole position, holding the lead on the short run down to Turn 1. Charles Leclerc made an even better start as he shot up from fourth to second, passing Pierre Gasly and then Carlos Sainz.
2024 champion elect Max Verstappen stayed ahead of his title rival Lando Norris while the Dutchman’s potential 2025 team-mate, Liam Lawson, was noted along with Zhou Guanyu for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. The stewards ruled no further investigation was necessary.
Leclerc challenged Russell for the lead, the two almost coming together through Turn 1 – Leclerc having to jink to the right to avoid contact. Verstappen overtook Gasly for fourth and Oscar Piastri, running eighth, found himself in hot water with the stewards for an incorrect starting position that earned him a five-second time penalty.
Hamilton challenged Piastri for position and momentarily got ahead before the Aussie fought back. As their battle continued, Sainz overtook Leclerc for second with the Monegasque driver also falling to Verstappen. Leclerc, seemingly having killed his tyres, was told by Ferrari that he had to stay out. Norris overtook Gasly for fifth and Hamilton made a move stick on Piastri before passing Yuki Tsunoda.
Leclerc and Norris kicked off the pit stops in what proved to be a chaotic few laps with Esteban Ocon missing his pit box and having to do another lap and come back in it, Aston Martin weren’t ready for Lance Stroll and Tsunoda took out the speed limit board. Adding to the drama, a power unit issue forced Gasly to retire his Alpine.
The top six lined up with Russell ahead of Verstappen, Sainz, Sergio Perez, who started the race from 14th place on the grid on the hard Pirellis, Leclerc and Hamilton. Leclerc and Hamilton made short work of passing Perez with Norris also through on the Mexican driver. Perez was the very last driver to pit, stopping on lap 18 for mediums.
Alex Albon and Fernando Alonso were in a mid-race fight for the final points-paying positions, the Williams driver making a pass stick on the Aston Martin who then had Nico Hulkenberg all over his rear wing. Hulkenberg did get past Alonso before taking ninth off Albon.
Ahead of them the top six settled with Russell leading Verstappen by 10 seconds, Hamilton chasing the two Ferraris, and Norris worried that his front left was about to burst. His team-mate Piastri kicked off the second round of stops, in on lap 26. Albon followed him in but to retire his car with a suspected power unit issue.
Verstappen pitted from second, Hamilton from fifth and Sainz created the drama in the second round of stops as he started to come into the pits, crossed the line, and then headed back onto the track. Ferrari told him they were “not ready”.
As the second round of stops played out, Hamilton made it a Mercedes 1-2 by overtaking Verstappen, the Ferraris running fourth and fifth ahead of Norris and Piastri. Zhou was running inside the points in eighth place, ahead of Ocon and Tsunoda.
Hamilton set about chasing down Russell, the gap down to seven seconds with 10 laps go to, the team-mates dropping Verstappen in the process. Further back the second Red Bull pulled off an audacious double overtake as he took Magnussen and Lawson in one go by diving up the inside of them.
Struggling with his tyres, Verstappen fell into the clutches of the Ferraris with Sainz making the pass on lap 42 down the back straight. Leclerc took a few laps to pass, but P5 meant Verstappen was still guaranteed the World title ahead of sixth-placed Norris. Norris made a late pit stop in a bid for the fastest lap point.
Russell took the chequered by seven seconds ahead of Hamilton to win the Las Vegas Grand Prix, his third F1 victory, with Sainz joining the Mercedes team-mates on the podium.
Leclerc was fourth ahead of Verstappen and Norris, the latter taking the fastest lap point but it was not enough to prevent Verstappen from winning the 2024 F1 World Championship.
Piastri was seventh with Hulkenberg, Tsunoda and Perez completing the points.
Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024 classification
1 George RUSSELL 1:22:05.969 50 laps
2 Lewis HAMILTON +7.313
3 Carlos SAINZ +11.906
4 Charles LECLERC +14.283
5 Max VERSTAPPEN +16.582
6 Lando NORRIS +43.385
7 Oscar PIASTRI +51.365
8 Nico HULKENBERG +59.808
9 Yuki TSUNODA +62.808
10 Sergio PEREZ +63.114
11 Fernando ALONSO +69.195
12 Kevin MAGNUSSEN +69.803
13 ZHOU Guanyu +74.085
14 Franco COLAPINTO +75.172
15 Lance STROLL +84.102
16 Liam LAWSON +91.005
17 Esteban OCON + 1 lap
18 Valtteri BOTTAS + 1 lap
Did not finish
Alex Albon Williams – lap 26 – power unitPierre Gasly Alpine – lap 16 – power unit