Max Verstappen takes 18th win of the season

Max Verstappen won the Las Vegas Grand Prix. For the Dutchman, who guaranteed himself the title ahead of schedule, this was perhaps the most difficult victory in recent times. On the city track in the gambling capital of the United States, he had to fight his way to victory from the middle of the peloton. But such is Verstappen’s dominance now that even this did not stop him from leaving behind both Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who grabbed second place, and Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez. By the way, the latter in Las Vegas guaranteed himself second place at the end of the season.

Max Verstappen spent the entire race weekend talking about how much he didn’t like it in Las Vegas, where Formula 1 returned after an absence of more than 40 years (the city hosted the Caesars Grand Prix in 1981-1982). Palace, and the track was built right in the parking lot of the famous hotel and therefore was not popular with either racers or fans). He was outraged that the race organizers paid too much attention to the show component of the Grand Prix; he did not like that the public did not really understand what was actually happening on the track. And the track itself, and it was a city one, irritated him. According to the three-time world champion, in spirit it cannot be compared with the circuits in Monza or Spa. All this did not stop Verstappen from loudly singing Viva Las Vegas immediately after the finish, and then saying that it was fun, that the fans were great, that he had a lot of fun and can’t wait to come to the Las Vegas Grand Prix again next season.

To turn 180 degrees, Verstappen only needed to win the race. But to win not in the usual way for this season, which involves Verstappen being the first to enter the first turn and then driving for victory in autopilot mode, but in a fight. He partly arranged this fight for himself. The Dutchman started second behind Charles Leclerc. He tried to get around him in the first turn, but the car drifted outward. As a result, Verstappen forced his opponent to leave the track, and he himself left the track. The race directorate assessed this maneuver as a five-second penalty, which should have been served at the pit stop.

Ferrari, and the Italian team in Las Vegas had the pace, naturally seized on this chance. A five-second head start could well have had a decisive influence on the outcome of the fight for victory, but the Scuderia was a little unlucky. On the track, after debris flew from George Russell’s Mercedes (he collided with Verstappen), a safety car appeared, which eliminated the above-mentioned handicap. Well, then everything was quite predictable. Verstappen beat both Sergio Perez and Leclerc and rode away to his 18th victory of the season (improving his own record). At the end of the race, Red Bull asked the Dutchman to drive a little slower to give Perez, who was in second, the opportunity to fend off Leclerc’s attacks, but this did not help. The Ferrari leader still overtook the Mexican a few turns before the finish, but did not look happy after the finish. He obviously expected to win (for Leclerc to win at least once in the season is extremely important, because his Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz has one victory, which calls into question Leclerc’s status as the number one of the Scuderia), but a combination of bad luck and outstanding speed , which Verstappen showed, left him with only, as he put it, “with this damn second place.”

As for Perez, he was, of course, upset that he did not hold the second position. But he secured second place at the end of the season. This is the first time in the history of Red Bull that the team’s drivers have won both the championship and vice-championship titles. By the way, Verstappen’s victory allowed Red Bull to record another record. Taking into account the Dutchman’s 18 victories and two stages won by Perez, the Bulls now have 20 races won this season. The previous achievement belonged to Mercedes, to which Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg brought 19 victories in the 2016 season.

There is one race left before the end of the World Championship – November 26 in Abu Dhabi. If Verstappen wins it too, he will move into clear third place in the list of drivers who have won the most Grand Prix. So far he shares it with Sebastian Vettel (53 races each). In second place is Michael Schumacher (91), in first place is Hamilton (103).

Alexander Petrov