In a thrilling display at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, George Russell led a Mercedes 1-2 finish, outpacing teammate Lewis Hamilton, while Max Verstappen officially clinched the Formula 1 championship once again. Despite finishing the race in fifth place, Verstappen's position was more than enough to maintain a commanding 63-point lead over Lando Norris, with only 60 points available in the remaining races.
Race Overview
Russell, who started from pole position, maintained control from the outset, while Hamilton made a remarkable charge from 10th on the grid to secure second place. Carlos Sainz rounded out the podium in third position. Verstappen began the race in fifth, fully aware that as long as he finished ahead of Norris, he would be crowned champion.
The top drivers opted for Medium tires to start the race, while Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, and Franco Colapinto chose Hard tires, and Fernando Alonso went with Softs.
Russell executed a perfect start, entering Turn 1 unchallenged. Behind him, Charles Leclerc made a bold move to overtake his Ferrari teammate Sainz and Pierre Gasly. The initial laps saw little change in positions among the leading drivers, but on the second lap, Nico Hulkenberg managed to pass McLaren's Oscar Piastri to take eighth place.
By Lap 3, Leclerc set the fastest lap and was closing in on Russell. As the race unfolded, Russell had to defend his lead against Leclerc, who was eager to capitalize on any errors. Verstappen, meanwhile, moved up to fourth place after overtaking Gasly, creating more distance from Norris.
As Leclerc pursued Russell, he began experiencing severe tire graining, which allowed Russell to extend his gap and escape DRS range from the Ferrari driver. Meanwhile, Piastri, who had received a five-second penalty for a false start, was working his way through the field alongside Hamilton, who was steadily advancing after starting in 10th.
Hamilton succeeded in overtaking Piastri into Turn 14, moving into eighth place, and later passed Yuki Tsunoda to secure seventh. By Lap 8, Verstappen had overtaken Sainz for third, while Leclerc's tire issues prompted Ferrari to pit him for Hard tires on Lap 10.
Strategic Decisions and Pit Stops
As the race continued, Norris also pitted to switch from Medium to Hard tires. In a dramatic turn, Sainz had a near-miss during his pit stop, as Ferrari was unprepared for his arrival, causing him to briefly rejoin the race.
In the second round of stops, Hamilton managed to overtake Verstappen, marking a significant moment for Mercedes as they solidified their 1-2 position. With the Ferraris in fourth and fifth, Norris and Piastri were battling just behind.
Late-Race Action
As the race neared its conclusion, Hamilton began to close the gap on Russell, reducing the distance to seven seconds with ten laps remaining. Verstappen, struggling with his tires, fell into the clutches of the Ferraris, with Sainz passing him on Lap 42, followed by Leclerc shortly after. Despite losing positions, Verstappen was still on track to win the championship due to his lead over Norris.
Norris made a late pit stop in pursuit of the fastest lap, but it was not enough to alter the championship standings. Russell ultimately crossed the finish line first, claiming victory by 7.3 seconds ahead of Hamilton, marking his third career win in Formula 1. Sainz finished third, while Leclerc, Verstappen, and Norris completed the top five.
Final Standings
The race concluded with Russell, Hamilton, and Sainz on the podium, while Leclerc finished fourth and Verstappen fifth. Norris secured the fastest lap but could not prevent Verstappen from sealing the championship.
Race Results:
The Las Vegas Grand Prix not only showcased the skill of Russell and Hamilton but also highlighted the challenges faced by Verstappen and his competitors as the season approaches its conclusion.
 Zainab Y.
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