Max Verstappen seals win at Las Vegas Grand Prix amid dramatic start and strategic battles

Max Verstappen dominated the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend, quietly asserting his authority as the race unfolded. While he had voiced criticism earlier in the week about Formula 1’s push to promote the Las Vegas event, the Dutch driver stamped his authority on the track. Charles Leclerc, driving for Ferrari, shone on the Strip and joined in the celebratory mood with a spirited rendition of Viva Las Vegas, but Verstappen matched the energy with a superb performance to equal Sebastian Vettel with 53 career wins. Sergio Perez completed the podium as Red Bull returned the casino city to the Formula 1 calendar after forty years.

Carlos Sainz, starting from 12th, navigated a challenging race to finish sixth after a difficult start that saw him penalized due to issues on the opening day. Fernando Alonso also faced a tough initial phase, colliding with Bottas at the start and dropping back, yet he recovered enough to qualify ninth and chase forward momentum.

chaotic exit

Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz collided at the start, creating immediate drama as the lights went out. The start was chaotic for the Spaniards, and social feeds captured the moment as fans watched live from Las Vegas. The race weekend continued to deliver drama and spectacle on every corner of the track.

Las Vegas Grand Prix began with Verstappen carving out an early advantage but the event quickly evolved. He defended his lead as Leclerc pressed, and the race saw a flurry of strategic calls and tire decisions that shaped the outcome.

[World Championship standings]

Unfortunately the two Spanish drivers found themselves further back after the early skirmishes. Alonso, who had started impressively from ninth, spun and collided with Bottas, dropping to 19th and reporting damage to his Aston Martin. Meanwhile Perez had to replace the nose on his Red Bull after a contact, just like Alonso did, while Sainz struggled to find consistency and slipped down the order.

At the other end of the grid, Lance Stroll and Yuki Tsunoda began from the back on soft tires but moved into the top ten after a lively restart. A virtual safety car allowed Bottas, Alonso, and Perez to adjust their setups before a second safety car emerged following a separate incident with Lando Norris, who hit the barriers on lap three.

Big accident for Norris was the talk of the paddock. He escaped the impact relatively unharmed, but the incident underscored the high-speed pressure present on the Las Vegas circuit.

Leader sanction

Officials handed Verstappen a five-second penalty for blocking Leclerc at the start. Yet the three-time champion maintained momentum on the Red Bull, radio banter aside, and kept pressuring the field with consistent pace. Meanwhile, Leclerc flagged concerns about tire wear as the race progressed, reacting to grain on the front-left tire and launching an attack on Verstappen on lap 16. Leclerc briefly moved ahead, only to incur a pit stop penalty that dropped him to eleventh after the stop sequence.

As the pit cycles unfolded, Sainz and Alonso climbed into fourth and fifth, while Perez briefly inherited the lead as Leclerc pitted. The race then settled into a tense rhythm as teams sought to optimize tire life and performance across the remaining laps.

Russell’s Touch

A clash between Russell and Verstappen at Turn 12 disrupted the race. The collision left carbon fiber debris on the track and prompted the safety car to return, reshaping the order and benefiting Perez while complicating Leclerc’s efforts to reclaim the lead.

Verstappen continued without substantial damage, but Russell incurred a five-second penalty for his on-track maneuver. Sainz finished tenth, with Alonso close behind in ninth as the field adapted to evolving track conditions.

[Season calendar summary]

Leclerc was stunned

Perez seized the initiative with DRS, launching a bold attack on Leclerc to reclaim the lead with 18 laps remaining. The medium tires had given way to a decisive Red Bull pace with Verstappen slipping to third behind Ferrari after their tire choices. Leclerc capitalized on a mistake to seize the lead, while Perez and Verstappen traded positions in the final stages.

The late-game sequence saw Leclerc retaking the front, only for Verstappen to surge back with a late push. Sergio Perez, frustrated by missing the best chance to win, eventually found himself in second as the chequered flag loomed. Albon moved up from the back, with Sainz and Alonso hanging on to solid positions, while Russell faced penalties but recovered enough to contribute to the final tally.

The weekend culminated with an emphatic moment as Verstappen celebrated on the Las Vegas strip, a symbol of his continued dominance in the sport. The Grand Prix weekend closed with Verstappen adding another win to his record, extending an impressive career tally.

The World Championship will conclude with the Abu Dhabi GP, but the season’s arc remains defined by Verstappen’s relentless success and the ongoing drama that Las Vegas delivered in a race filled with bold moves, strategic gambles, and enduring rivalries.