Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen will be heading to the next race in Qatar in a much more relaxed mood than when he was preparing for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen had been under pressure for months, driving a Red Bull car that had lost its advantage over the rest of the grid throughout 2024.
Thankfully, the advantage he built up at the beginning of the season gave him the cushion he needed to hold off McLaren driver Lando Norris.
Norris and Verstappen clashed throughout the season, but the British driver simply couldn’t put a run of wins together when he appeared to have the faster car on the grid more often than not to really cut into the 27-year-old’s lead.
Even at Norris’s most impressive races in Singapore and the Netherlands, Verstappen made sure to finish 2nd and limit any damage done to his title chances.
The Dutchman then delivered a masterclass at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix and when he won the race from P17, Norris’ chance to complete an almighty comeback was all but over.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix didn’t particularly suit Red Bull or McLaren’s cars, with Red Bull’s rear wing coming under scrutiny.
Ultimately, it didn’t matter as Verstappen’s P5 was enough to clinch the championship with two races to go.
Davide Valsecchi tells Lando Norris that it’s his turn to win the Formula 1 championship in 2025
Norris congratulated Verstappen on Instagram after the race, choosing a picture of the pair during their karting days alongside his post.
The pair have known each other for a long time and Verstappen admitted after the race that they were still friends despite coming together in Austria, Austin and Mexico City.
The 25-year-old was magnanimous in defeat and said: “Congrats on the 4th title in a row mate, awesome drive this year.
“Was fun fighting you for it. Feels like yesterday we took this pic in karting.”
READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration
It was a very polite message and Norris and Verstappen’s embrace in the media pen showed that those feelings were genuine.
F1 TV pundit and former GP2 champion Davide Valsecchi replied to Norris and said: “Next year, it’s your turn.”
Lando Norris and McLaren now turn their attention to the Constructors’ Championship
Norris, who is reportedly on a £20m-a-year contract at McLaren, could still win a title this year after missing out on an individual award.
McLaren have a 24-point advantage over Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship, with Red Bull another 30 points behind.
| Position | Constructors’ Standings | Points |
| 1 |
McLaren Racing |
608 |
| 2 |
Scuderia Ferrari |
584 |
| 3 |
Red Bull Racing |
555 |
| 4 |
Mercedes-AMG Petronas |
425 |
| 5 |
Aston Martin F1 Team |
86 |
| 6 |
Haas F1 Team |
50 |
| 7 |
Alpine F1 Team |
49 |
| 8 |
Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team |
46 |
| 9 |
Williams F1 Team |
17 |
| 10 |
Sauber F1 Team |
0 |
The Las Vegas street circuit was never going to suit McLaren’s car but the Qatar Grand Prix should be much more positive for Andrea Stella’s team.
READ MORE: All you need to know about McLaren F1 Team from team principal to engine
Talking about next season, via the BBC, Norris said: “Next year we will go into the season with a car we think we can win the championship with from the first race and I’m very excited for that.
“I feel like I can fight for a championship, I can say that confidently, I have what it takes, some things to work on for sure and I can fight against Max.”
Challenging Verstappen is something none of his teammates – except Daniel Ricciardo – have managed to achieve and when the going gets tough in a title fight, the Dutchman takes no prisoners.
Norris will have to be ruthless next year if he wants to beat Verstappen, but several other drivers will back themselves to be in the championship battle if the grid converges even more over the winter.
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