It was a hectic road to get there, but Formula 1 delivered under the lights in fabulous Las Vegas.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen took the win in Sin City on what started as Saturday in their time zone and bled into Sunday, with polesitter Charles Leclerc coming in behind him and other Red Bull driving Sergio Perez finishing third. The race was filled with overtakes, battles and drama, and it all started on the first turn.
Verstappen and Leclerc battled at the start, with Verstappen running Leclerc wide in Turn 1 — Verstappen was only given a five-second time penalty, and while that seemed a small punishment, Leclerc was able to stay patient and wait for Verstappen to wear his tires down before passing him after around 15 laps. Leclerc then took a huge lead after Verstappen served his penalty, but he fortune took a turn for the worse in Vegas after Lando Norris’ McLaren car crashed out. This allowed Perez, who been in the lead with one less pit stop, to come in and get fresh tires to fight Leclerc.
The middle-to-final frame of the race was filled with exciting battles between the three podium drivers, with Perez besting Leclerc, Leclerc getting the position right back and then Verstappen coming from third to dispatch both late in the race. It seemed as if Leclerc could possibly hold on for second, but he ran wide in Turn 12 in the final frame and allowed Perez to pass him. Then, on the last lap, Leclerc was able to pounce on Perez in a great overtake at the end of the lap to earn second place in the dying embers.
Here’s how the points turned out in Las Vegas:
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
- Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
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