Celebrate a coronation in Las Vegas, what better place to Max Verstappen ? The Dutchman offered a fourth consecutive world champion title of Formula 1 at the end of the Las Vegas Grand Prix this Sunday. A crown awaited since his victory in Brazil 3 weeks ago, but which took a long time to take shape this season.
“It’s been a long season so far. It started off amazing and then we had some tough times. We stayed together as a team. I’m proud of what we did, explained the Red Bull driver in a magnificent setting in front of the Bellagio hotel casino. When I arrived in F1, I was just happy to be there. I wanted to have some podiums or victories. There were difficult years. Then we put a new car on the track, and here I am four times world champion, it’s extraordinary. I could never have imagined that! »
A “special” title
Max Verstappen, leading the championship from the first race of the year in Bahrain, will have led the World Championship from start to finish. Winner of 7 of the first 10 GPs, the 27-year-old driver was able to widen the gap before seeing his main competitor Lando Norrisreturn little by little in the second part of the season. “It was a complicated season,” recalled the new quadruple world champion. There were difficult times. I prefer the one from last season for example, but this year has brought me a lot of things. This makes this title very special! »
With this fourth title, “Mad Max” joins Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel in the F1 pantheon. Only Juan Manuel Fangio (5), Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, both record holders (7 crowns) do better. But Verstappen is not yet satisfied. “If I look at next season, it’s going to be a great battle. We are going to return to combat,” he has already warned. The appointment is made!