It was at the end of the race on the Las Vegas street circuit that Max Verstappen obtained his fourth Formula 1 world championship title. Although the suspense that we had glimpsed this season around the outcome of the driver's championship had run out of steam, the setbacks encountered by Red Bull and the Dutchman at the start of the weekend in Sin City had almost made us put the champagne in the fridge and the t-shirts in their box.
But that was without counting on the talent of the driver who, after a race that was both wise and solid, managed to finish ahead of his opponent Lando Norris, finally laying his hands on his fourth consecutive title after 2021, 2022 and 2023. time in contention for the podium, he secured the necessary points by crossing the finish line in fifth position.
VIDEO – Max Verstappen crowned world champion in Las Vegas
A fourth crown carried at arm's length
Max Verstappen started his 2024 season as he finished his 2023 season: with a string of victories. The Dutchman won the first two races of the season, in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. But it was when we all expected to see total domination from Red Bull that the Austrian team stumbled.
At the Australian Grand Prix, Verstappen let his first victory slip away after his brakes failed. It was Carlos Sainz who was there to collect the laurels by finishing at the head of the race, taking a Ferrari double. Red Bull and its star driver lost their balance a little but quickly made up for it by again achieving two successes during the Asian tour, in Japan and China.
Then, at the Miami Grand Prix, Lando Norris took his first ever F1 victory. This success marked the start of McLaren's quest for the constructors' title. Verstappen, however, already had a certain lead in the drivers' championship and hammered home the point by winning the Grands Prix of Emilia-Romagna, Canada and Spain.
Max Verstappen after his victory at the Spanish GP.
Photo de: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
However, the gaps between the teams narrowed, and although the RB20 continued to win thanks to the talent of Verstappen, the McLaren got closer and closer, to the point that Norris almost always occupied second place on the podium.
The Austrian Grand Prix was the start of the fight between the two drivers where, after a skirmish which lasted several laps, the two cars collided, causing the Briton to retire.
From that point on, Red Bull lost its footing, leaving Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari to share the next nine victories and allowing the papaya orange and prancing horse teams to overtake the reigning champions in the constructors' standings. .
Norris' victories at Zandvoort and Singapore gradually cemented his title bid. Chances that Verstappen has always known how to confine to the stage of simple hopes, which he finally reduced to nothing with one of his greatest victories at the São Paulo Grand Prix.
A champion who falls back into his faults
Max Verstappen and Lando Norris at the United States Grand Prix.
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
Max Verstappen's 2024 season has been marred by numerous controversies surrounding his driving. While we thought we would see a three-time world champion wiser during his battles on the track, the Red Bull driver showed that he had lost nothing of his first years in F1, to the point that it was detrimental to him.
Verstappen's very aggressive driving style is known to everyone. It had nevertheless been somewhat buried, since the Dutchman was no longer really worried when he won races by 20 seconds at the wheel of his ultra-competitive Red Bull. However, things took a different turn when the red bull's performance declined. The reigning champion was therefore forced to defend his place at all costs, particularly against one of his main rivals, Lando Norris.
The United States Grand Prix in particular caused a lot of talk. The controversy which followed the battle between Verstappen and Norris, the Briton's penalty and the Dutchman's non-sanction, raised a vague area in the regulations around overtaking exploited by the Red Bull driver since his arrival in the discipline. Pointed out, the FIA finally took matters into its own hands after a meeting with the drivers, promising certain changes to the driving guidelines and a review of the sanctions imposed in the race.
We did not have to wait long to see a reaction from the race management, since it was after yet another fight between Norris and Verstappen, and too aggressive behavior from the reigning champion in Mexico, that the Dutchman was this time heavily penalized.
Verstappen was the subject of much criticism following these clashes with Lando Norris. Comments that the pilot, true to himself, brushed aside, nevertheless noting the harshness towards him from certain media, particularly British.
However, he set the record straight after rediscovering the taste of victory in Brazil. An undeniable success by moving up from 17th to first place in torrential rain, forcing the world of Formula 1 to bow before this spectacular performance.
Max Verstappen celebrating his victory with his team in São Paulo.
Photo de: Red Bull Content Pool
Max Verstappen and chiffres
207 Grand Prix starts
62 victories
111 podiums
40 pole positions
72 1st lines
33 best laps in the race
2979.5 points scored
Max Verstappen celebrates his first victory at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix.
Photo de: Red Bull Content Pool
First free practice: Japan 2014 (Toro Rosso-Renault)
First Grand Prix: Australie 2015 (Toro Rosso-Renault)
Premiers points : Malaysia 2015 (Toro Rosso-Renault)
Premier podium : Spain 2016 (Red Bull-TAG Heuer)
First victory: Spain 2016 (Red Bull-TAG Heuer)
First pole position: Hongrie 2019 (Red Bull-Honda)
First world title: Abu Dhabi 2021 (Red Bull-Honda)
