Max Verstappen celebrated his fourth Formula One world championship, calling it his finest achievement yet, while his team principal, Christian Horner, lauded Verstappen's victory as cementing his status among the sport's all-time greats. “The start was a bit chaotic,” Verstappen remarked in Las Vegas about the controversies that surrounded Red Bull before the season commenced. “But I remain calm in such situations. It's hard to unsettle me. My focus is entirely on racing. I block out everything, whether positive or negative, and concentrate solely on what lies ahead.” Horner deemed it Verstappen's most remarkable championship, a sentiment the Dutchman agreed with, highlighting his satisfaction in securing the title despite McLaren's dominance for much of the year. “For about 70% of the season, we didn't have the fastest car,” Verstappen noted. “Yet, we managed to extend our lead. That's something I'm immensely proud of.”
Verstappen clinched his fourth consecutive F1 title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix with a fifth-place finish, as George Russell of Mercedes claimed the race victory. This triumph capped a season that began with Red Bull in disarray. Before the car's launch, Horner faced allegations of inappropriate behavior from a female employee, later dismissed by an independent inquiry. This was followed by Verstappen's father, Jos, calling for Horner's resignation, and Adrian Newey, the team's highly successful car designer, announcing his departure. Horner acknowledged that the season had been the most challenging of Verstappen's career, yet he had performed exceptionally under pressure, especially given the circumstances. “This victory is particularly special because of the challenges we faced this year,” Horner said. “Max has secured double the race wins of any other driver. He won the championship with two races remaining. He has clearly been the best driver on the grid. His performance this year solidifies his place among the sport's legends. Statistically and in terms of his driving, this is now beyond question.”
Despite the chaos, the world champion remained focused on accumulating points. After securing the title in Las Vegas, Verstappen hinted at potentially challenging the seven championships held by Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher. His fourth title puts him on par with Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel. “Even without the fastest car, we still managed to win,” he said. “So, I always give my all when I'm in the car. Over the past few years, I've also grown as a driver. I'm excited to see what we can achieve next year.” Verstappen's future at Red Bull was also addressed. This year, Mercedes' team principal, Toto Wolff, courted Verstappen, but the Dutchman, under contract with Red Bull until 2028, insisted he was staying put despite the team's turmoil. “I'm very loyal to the team,” he said. “During tough times, it's easy to walk away or ignore the issues. But I believe it's more important to confront them together and work through them.”
Other drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, who finished second, also acknowledged Verstappen's achievement. “He's done an outstanding job. He hasn't made any mistakes and has delivered every time,” Hamilton said. “He and his team have once again done the best job, for the fourth year running.” Lando Norris, who relinquished his outside chance at the title, finished one place behind Verstappen. His team, McLaren, leads Ferrari by 24 points and could win their first constructors' title since 1998. “Max deserved to win because he had a better season than I did,” Norris said. “Max has no weaknesses. When he has the best car, he dominates, and even when he doesn't, he's always there.”
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