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Verstappen now joins the company of multiple champions Juan Manuel Fangio (five titles), Alain Prost (four), Michael Schumacher (seven), Sebastian Vettel (four) and Lewis Hamilton (seven),
Max Verstappen at the Las Vegas GP (AP)
Max Verstappen has become just the sixth man in Formula One history to win four world championship titles as he saw off rival Lando Norris with a fifth-placed finish to secure the world title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Sunday.
Verstappen now joins the company of multiple champions Juan Manuel Fangio (five titles), Alain Prost (four), Michael Schumacher (seven), Sebastian Vettel (four) and Lewis Hamilton (seven), to etch his name in history.
Verstappen, who looked in fine form to possibly compete for pole earlier in the race, was overtaken by the likes of both Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, who secured a 1-2 finish for their team.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc then added to his misery, overtaking the Dutchman to secure the 3-4 finish.
But, it all wouldn’t matter, as Verstappen would still edge out McLaren’s Lando Norris, to secure the fifth-place finish, as the Englishman fell to sixth, losing out on the opporutnity to keep his title race alive.
Red Bull’s three-time champion Verstappen ended a 10-race winless drought by storming to victory from 17th on the grid in Brazil three weeks ago to ensure that the defense of his crown stayed alive.
The Dutchman, on 393, coming into the GP already held a 62-point lead over Norris, on 331, with 60 more points to be won after the Vegas race. All he needed was to finish ahead of Norris to seal the deal and he sure did the same.
After an expected blistering start to the season which saw him win seven of the first 10 races taking a mammoth lead over everyone in the standings, Verstappen suffered an unforeseen dip in performance as the Dutchaman struggled to find any wins, calling his aggressive racing style into question.
A return to form in Brazil though ensured that Verstappen would inevitably get the job done in Las Vegas and he will now take home his fourth title in consecutive years, as McLaren’s Norris shall need to come back stronger next year if he aims to dethrone the Dutchman.