Max Verstappen hated everything about the Las Vegas Formula 1 Grand Prix when he arrived in the “city of vice”. The reigning triple world champion found the opulence excessive and that it dominated the race itself.
He changed his tune after signing an 18th victory this season.
“Viva Las Vegas! Viva Las Vegas!” sang Verstappen as he crossed the checkered flag.
Verstappen had missed no opportunity to take aim at Saturday’s spectacle, but he still secured victory on the famous Las Vegas Strip in an Elvis Presley-inspired suit.
“I hope everyone enjoyed it. We certainly did. I’m looking forward to coming back here next year and trying to achieve something similar,” Verstappen said. “It was a fun race. I had fun.”
Verstappen passed Charles Leclerc at the first corner and overcame a penalty with 13 laps to go to continue his dominance.
It was the third race held in the United States this season, more than in any other country, and was promoted by F1 itself and its owner, Liberty Media. But the event was lambasted – particularly by Verstappen – for its emphasis on extravagance.
Liberty had expected to spend $500 million on its first promoted Grand Prix, but speculation before Saturday night’s race was that Liberty had gone way over budget.
The whole event nearly imploded after just nine minutes of the first free practice session on Thursday. Carlos Sainz Jr. drove into a manhole and badly damaged his Ferrari. F1 had to examine the 6.2-kilometre circuit.
Fans were forced to leave at 1:30 a.m. Friday morning after seeing just nine minutes of track activity. The second session began at 2:30 a.m. and ran until 4 a.m. Rather than offer an apology, F1 simply offered $200 in LVGP merchandise store credits to all ticket holders who had only purchased Thursday access. A class action lawsuit was filed against the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Friday.
It was vital for F1 to have a good race on Saturday night and, although it was Verstappen’s sixth consecutive victory, it was one of the most exciting events of the season.
Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, who finished seventh for Mercedes, said the circuit “offered better racing than most of the circuits we go to”.
“I don’t think the music stopped all weekend in the pits,” said Williams’s Logan Sargeant, the only American F1 driver.
Leclerc and team-mate Sainz had set the two fastest times on Friday, but Sainz was handed a 10-place grid penalty as Ferrari was forced to replace his car. That allowed Verstappen to move up to second on the grid.
The Dutchman forced Leclerc off the track to take the lead. The Monegasque demanded that Verstappen give up his position, but the latter was only given a five-second penalty. He served it in a subsequent pit stop, but his Red Bull was so strong that he remained in contention for the win throughout the race.
Leclerc passed Perez to take the lead with 17 laps to go, then three laps later Verstappen passed his teammate to take second. He and Perez then worked to create leverage that allowed Verstappen to catch Leclerc with 13 laps to go.
Perez had passed Leclerc for second but reclaimed it at the finish to deny Red Bull its seventh one-two of the season.
“I wanted this win so much,” Leclerc said. “I enjoyed the race so much. It was a second position with a lot of fights. There is no better race for this first in Las Vegas.”
While Hamilton finished seventh, Perez ensured he finished the season second in the drivers’ standings.
Leclerc’s result helped Ferrari reduce Mercedes’ lead in second place in the constructors’ standings to four points, with just one race remaining in Abu Dhabi next week.
Quebecer Lance Stroll had a great race, moving from 19th to fifth position aboard his Aston Martin.
