George Russell headed team-mate Lewis Hamilton in a Mercedes 1-2 at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, as Max Verstappen was crowned Formula 1 champion once again.
Russell controlled proceedings throughout from pole position as Hamilton charged through from 10th to claim second, with Carlos Sainz taking the last podium spot.
Verstappen, who lined up fifth on the grid, headed into the race knowing that he would be crowned champion as long as he classified ahead of title rival Lando Norris.
The top 10 went with the Medium compound to start the race, while Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas and Franco Colapinto were on Hards. Fernando Alonso was on Softs.
Russell aced the launch to be unopposed into Turn 1, but there was movement behind him as Leclerc cut underneath Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly.
There were no position changes elsewhere within the points places until Nico Hulkenberg got his Haas past McLaren’s Oscar Piastri to seize eighth on the second lap.
Leclerc registered the fastest lap on the third lap to close right up behind Russell, who was made to protect the inside line going into Turn 14 as the Ferrari threatened.
Verstappen, though, completed the move on Gasly’s Alpine to climb into fourth and open up more breathing room on Norris, as Russell and Leclerc battled into Turn 1.
But Leclerc’s attempt to chase Russell over the race lead saw him experience severe graining which allowed the Mercedes to escape DRS range to the Ferraris behind.
Meanwhile, Piastri, who received a five-second penalty for a false start, and Lewis Hamilton had overtaken Hulkenberg’s Haas to advance into eighth and ninth places.
Hamilton then endeavoured to pass Piastri into Turn 14 and assumed the spot heading onto the next lap prior to then taking seventh position from Yuki Tsunoda’s RB.
Back at the sharp end, Leclerc’s troubles had seen his team-mate Sainz get through on Lap 8 along with Verstappen, who surged past the Ferrari into Turn 14 for third.
Ferrari took that as an invitation to pit the struggling Leclerc onto the Hard compound on Lap 10 with McLaren also electing to bring Norris in to discard the Mediums.
Verstappen stormed past the second Ferrari with ease on that same lap down the back straight, prompting Sainz to be the next driver to make the detour into the pits.
Red Bull covered that stop with Verstappen and the Dutchman returned to the track with the Ferrari drivers and Norris’ McLaren behind, while Russell pitted on Lap 12.
Franco Colapinto’s presence allowed Verstappen to scamper clear as both Sainz, Leclerc and Norris all took turns to sweep past the Williams who hadn’t made a stop.
Gasle was bidding to deliver a sizeable points haul for Alpine, but he reported that he had lost power and soon enough smoke billowed as he was sent into retirement.
Hamilton was making good progress since his pit stop as he passed Norris and Sergio Perez’s Red Bull to be right on Leclerc’s rear with newer rubber than the Ferrari.
However, Hamilton was unable to overtake Leclerc as he told his race engineer on the radio that Ferrari’s straight-line speed advantage was too great to make a move.
Alex Albon was situated inside the points in 10th place when he was instructed to return to the pits to retire owing to a terminal technical problem on his Williams car.
Sainz was starting to struggle and he dropped into Leclerc and Hamilton’s clutches, which resulted in him asking to pit again as his team-mate got through at Turn 14.
However, Ferrari wasn’t prepared to receive Sainz, allowing Hamilton to come in and complete an undercut on the Spaniard once he ventured into the pits the next lap.
Hamilton’s charge was continuing as he reeled in Verstappen ahead. The Briton used the DRS down the back straight to breeze past the Red Bull at Turn 14 on Lap 32.
Leclerc had come into the pits as Hamilton overtook Verstappen to move the latter up into second place and make it a Mercedes 1-2 with Russell coasting in the lead.
There was a close three-wide moment into Turn 14 on Lap 38 when the recovering Perez charged his Red Bull down the inside of Liam Lawson and Kevin Magnussen.
Verstappen’s times had dropped as the laps counted down and the Red Bull driver’s spot on the podium was beginning to look vulnerable to the closing Ferrari drivers.
Sainz capitalised on the DRS to make the pass down the inside at Turn 14 on Lap 42 to take third place, with Leclerc now setting his attention on clearing the Red Bull.
Leclerc was made to be patient until Verstappen dropped outside the DRS window, but once he did, the Monegasque dived late on the brakes on the inside of Turn 14.
Russell’s win never looked in doubt once he resisted Leclerc’s advances in the nascent stages and he coasted the Mercedes home to take his second win this season.
Hamilton, having made up nine positions, trailed seven seconds back in second to complete a Mercedes 1-2, while Sainz beat Leclerc to third to round off the podium.
Verstappen was unable to hang onto a place on the rostrum, but taking the chequered flag in fifth place was enough to see him claim the championship in Las Vegas.
Norris pitted at the death to take the fastest lap bonus point as he was sixth and McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri seventh as the team’s championship lead was cut.
Hulkenberg logged vital points towards Haas ambitions with eighth place as he edged out RB’s Yuki Tsunoda. Perez managed to salvage a single point in the Red Bull.
READ MORE – Max Verstappen wins fourth consecutive F1 title in Las Vegas
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