Las Vegas Grand Prix: Max Verstappen set for fourth title, McLaren vs Ferrari and more
It’s race week! The Las Vegas strip is set for the next round on the 2024 Formula 1 calendar.
Max Verstappen can win his fourth consecutive World Championship if he outscores Lando Norris or the British driver finishes outside the top 10.
Ferrari and McLaren are separated by 36 points heading into the final triple-header of the season as the battle for sixth in the Constructors rages on.
Sports News Blitz writer Harry Whitfield explores the big talking points heading into this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix in Sin City.
Viva Las Vegas! Verstappen on the verge of history
The Dutchman can make history in Vegas by becoming the sixth F1 driver in history to win four Drivers’ World Championships, joining Sebastian Vettel and Alain Prost on the same number of F1 titles.
Verstappen was victorious last time out on the strip, winning the inaugural 2023 Las Vegas GP, leading him to sing ‘Viva Las Vegas” over the radio after the race.
Heading into Brazil, the 27-year-old was on a winless run of 10 races, but Verstappen climbed up from 17th on the grid to win in treacherous conditions, destroying the competition with ease.
The performance was vintage Verstappen, but why are we surprised?
So many times we have seen when he is facing criticism and he feels the entire world is against him, he performs best.
And just when you think he is down and out, he proves you wrong.
Jeremy Clarkson recently said he could possibly be the greatest F1 driver of all time.
It is too early to come to that verdict but he is certainly one of the greats of this sport and it would not be a shock if he takes back-to-back wins in Vegas.
READ MORE: F1 news: Lewis Hamilton hails ‘incredible’ rise of Ferrari and McLaren
Historic F1 teams aiming for first title in years
The last time Ferrari won the Constructors’ Championship was back in 2008, the year Lewis Hamilton won the first of his seven World Championships.
The former McLaren driver is now set to join Ferrari in 2025 and his old team have gone even longer without winning a team championship.
Twenty six years ago Mika Hakkinen won the Drivers’ Title and helped McLaren secure the Constructors in the year 1998.
It’s fair to say both teams are eager to get back to the top, but there can only be one.
The favourites are McLaren who lead by 36 points, but both teams have taken five victories this year.
Norris and Charles Leclerc have the most wins for their respective teams (3) as the Monaqasque driver battles to snatch second from his McLaren rival.
Las Vegas could be a fantastic opportunity for Leclerc and Ferrari to catch up towards their title rivals, and considering their pace in last year’s race, it could be a vital weekend for the Prancing Horse.
However, the gap is arguably too big in both championships and the McLaren is likely to be faster in Qatar.
So if the Woking-based team capitalise on their pace in Lusail, they will secure their first Constructors' title in 26 years.
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Three-way fight for P6
Lower down the order, there is a tight contest between Alpine, Haas and RB for sixth place in the team standings.
Alpine achieved a double podium last time out in Brazil, scoring 35 points over the entirety of the weekend to boost them up the order - three points ahead of Haas in sixth.
Haas had a disastrous weekend in Interlagos but have been consistently scoring points as of late, more often than their midfield rivals.
They are the favourites to come out on top in this race considering their superior pace but the momentum has swung in favour of the Enstone-based outfit.
RB are somewhat of an outsider but they are only five points off from Alpine - and Yuki Tsunoda finished seventh in Brazil.
But like Alpine, Laurent Mekies’ team have not been scoring points as often as Haas have this season.
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