Max Verstappen heads to the Las Vegas Grand Prix with the chance of winning the drivers’ title for the fourth season in a row following a superb victory in Sao Paulo.
The Dutchman has moved 62 points clear of rival Lando Norris in the standings, and all Verstappen needs to do is leave Sin City without losing more than two points to his McLaren counterpart to officially become the world champion.
Verstappen’s four-peat seems like a foregone conclusion, but his Red Bull team still has a long way to go to win the constructors’ title.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz Jr. aim to make the most of their last few races with their current teams.
Learn about the latest Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024 updates by continuing to read below.
Constructors’ battle to reach climax
It’s only a matter of time before Max Verstappen will clinch his fourth drivers’ title, so the focus is on the intensifying battle for the constructors’ championship.
McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull are the top three candidates to win. Neither one of these teams will clinch the title in Las Vegas, so it’ll come down to the wire to determine the winner.
The Papayas are on top of the pile by 36 points from second-seeded Ferrari entering into the final three races. Red Bull, meanwhile, are lurking behind Ferrari with only a 13-point deficit.
While one team can pick up a maximum of 44 points this weekend, there’s still all to play for. The Qatar Grand Prix offers more points (59) due to the Sprint, and we still have the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Many bettors might fancy the chances of Ferrari on Sunday given the form of their two drivers, as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. have won at least one and secured back-to-back podiums in two of their last three races.
McLaren, on the other hand, are in a slump. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri only have one podium between them in their last three (P2 for Norris in Mexico).
It’s sinking in for Hamilton, Sainz
Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz Jr. will move to Ferrari and Williams next year, so they’re out to cap off their stints with Mercedes and Ferrari on a high note.
The two of them have had rough outings last time out, as Hamilton barely made it to P10 while Sainz suffered a DNF after crashing out in Lap 39.
The weather in Sao Paulo was so bad that both Hamilton and Sainz had a difficult time driving their cars, so much so that Hamilton called it his “bumpiest ride ever.”
Hamilton said he no longer has anything to prove but is very determined to give the Silver Arrows the best he can, especially if they give him a more driveable car in the final three rounds.
Similarly, Sainz said he’ll use these final three races to show his current employers what they’ll be missing next season after admitting his ego was hurt when he learned he would be let go in favour of Hamilton.
History
Sunday marks the second-ever Las Vegas Grand Prix after a successful one last year.
Charles Leclerc won the first pole in Sin City but failed to turn it into a win, as Max Verstappen won the actual race, beating the Monegasque driver by a narrow margin. Sergio Perez took the final podium spot despite starting P11 on the grid.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri had the fastest lap of the race at 1:35.490 in Lap 47. His teammate Lando Norris did not finish alongside Yuki Tsunoda (gearbox) and Nico Hulkenburg (engine) after losing control of his car and suffering a tough crash on Lap 3.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix is the third Formula 1 race held in the United States this season after Miami and in Austin, Texas.
What are the odds?
The Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024 odds surprisingly have Charles Leclerc as the favourite to win on Sunday, given his price of 3.25. Lando Norris also has a chance to delay Max Verstappen’s coronation since the Papaya driver is pegged at 3.50 compared to the Dutchman’s 4.00.
While Leclerc, Norris, and Verstappen are expected to complete the Top 3 cast, Carlos Sainz Jr. (1.70), Lewis Hamilton (3.20), and George Russell (3.50) are considered the distant challengers, per the SBOTOP odds.
As far as the constructors’ table is concerned, Ferrari (2.40) have a puncher’s chance of usurping McLaren (3.00) at the top spot, while Red Bull will likely settle for third (4.50) since Sergio Perez remains in lacklustre form.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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