Only Red Bull and Max Verstappen celebrate extravagantly in Las Vegas.
With his fourth world championship title, Verstappen caught up with Sebastian Vettel, who also won the title four times in a row at Red Bull from 2010 to 2013. Only six drivers have won four or more world championship titles in the premier class: in addition to Vettel and Verstappen, Alain Prost (4), Juan Manuel Fangio (5) and the record champions Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton (7 each).
"We wouldn't be a winning team without Max"
Verstappen had to fight hard for the triumph of 2024. In the last three years, he clearly had the fastest car in the field. That changed over the course of the season. Although the season began with three one-two wins and seven race victories for Verstappen in the first ten races, "after that we slipped into the biggest crisis of the last 20 years," said Austrian Head of Motorsport Helmut Marko. "Our car was no longer good enough. It was only thanks to the brilliance and incredible talent of Max (Verstappen) that we were able to win this title. Verstappen maximized the yield with the car." Without the old and new world champion, says Marko, "we would no longer be a winning team."
"I'm proud!"
Accordingly, Max Verstappen cannot yet properly categorize his fourth title win. But he is certain of one thing: "I'm proud! I might be able to classify it in a few weeks' time..." Four world championship titles in a row are difficult enough to achieve - especially when the car is no longer running perfectly. Verstappen: "The season started well. Then it got more and more difficult. The situation was challenging. Oh my God - we didn't win a single race in ten races. Now the joy that it was still enough is huge."
Does all these difficulties make winning the title in 2024 even better? "No," says Verstappen, "I was able to enjoy last year with all the victories much more. This year I had to be tactical. The race in Las Vegas wasn't particularly good: when I think back to the 2024 title, the Las Vegas Grand Prix certainly won't be the first thing on my mind."
Verstappen geared his race towards Lando Norris. He was not going for victory in Las Vegas, but only wanted to finish ahead of Norris and secure the title. Verstappen did this job brilliantly.
"It will be even more difficult next year"
Although there are still two Grands Prix to come in Qatar and Abu Dhabi over the next two weekends, where the constructors' championship is at stake, even Verstappen is still looking ahead to next year: "If I look ahead now, it will be even more difficult," said the world champion, "but I'm looking forward to the challenge."
In the last ten races of this season, Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc (169 each) won more points and Oscar Piastri practically the same number of points (147) as Verstappen (148).
SDA
