Five Formula 1 Winners & Losers: Las Vegas Grand Prix

Picture from Reuters

Another year with a Vegas Grand Prix, another year where I am not going to stay up and watch it.

Sorry. I like sleeping.

But a race still happened. So we have winners and losers to crown.

Losers

5. Sergio Perez

Yes, he finished 10th after qualifying 16th.

But his qualifying was still atrocious, and it’s costing Red Bull a lot of points in the Constructors Championship, which in turn costs Red Bull lots of money.

It’s time for a change.

4. Liam Lawson

Before the race, RB driver Yuki Tsunoda gave this quote about his teammates at RB.

"Whenever they keep sending their driver to me to beat me, whatever. I just keep destroying them. So that’s what I’m going to do.”

And so he did, with Yuki finishing 9th while teammate Liam Lawson came home 16th.

Lawson was called out, and did not answer the call.

Something to keep an eye on, for sure.

3. Pierre Gasly

Gasly’s qualifying effort to put his Alpine 3rd on the grid was absolutely amazing.

Unfortunately, a blown engine meant that he wouldn’t get anything extra past that.

Really bad luck for the Frenchman.

2. Esteban Ocon

Speaking of bad luck for the French…

Ocon was fighting for possible points, when his team gave him a simple instruction.

He was told to pit for new tires opposite of the driver in front of him, Nico Hulkenberg.

So if Hulkenberg were to pit, Ocon would stay out, and vice versa.

Well, Hulkenberg did not pit, so Ocon came in as instructed.

Small tiny problem.

His team was not ready for it, and it forced him to simply drive through the pit lane and come around one more time to pit again.

It ruined his race, while Hulkenberg got solid points.

A disaster.

1. McLaren

Not only did McLaren lose the drivers championship when they had one of, if not the fastest cars on the grid, but they also lost ground on Ferrari in the Constructors Championship standings.

Ferrari is getting awfully close, and McLaren is in danger of a completely wasted season.

Winners

5. Sergio Perez

I know, I know.

He was in the losers section.

And it was deserved, because his weekend wasn’t very good.

However, he did have this insane double overtake that was super cool to watch.

If you’re going to stink up the joint, at least give us something entertaining.

He did! Credit to him.

4. Nico Hulkenberg

4 crucial points for Hulk in the Grand Prix, meaning Haas are one point ahead of Alpine and 4 points ahead of RB for 6th in the Constructors Championship.

Every single point matters.

It’s huge for Haas that Hulkenberg has been so good.

3. Lewis Hamilton

A poor qualifying for Hamilton had him start 10th while his teammate started on pole position. It was tough to watch.

It was not at all tough to watch Lewis Hamilton then go from 10th to 2nd in the race to get another podium.

Lewis always said he loves coming through the field, and boy did he show it.

2. George Russell

But while Lewis’ race was great, it’s impossible to put it ahead of his teammate, who put the car on pole position and had a simple, care free drive en route to victory.

He never took a wrong step all weekend.

1. Max Verstappen

In 2021, we watched Max Verstappen win a championship with some controversy.

In 2022 and 2023, we watched him win a title by being in the fastest car.

And now, in 2024, we watched him win a title by simply being better than everyone.

There was no controversy. He was not in the fastest car. He went on a long winless streak.

None of it mattered, because he was consistently better than every other driver on the grid.

And it’s why, unless a miracle happens, Max Verstappen will have won a World Championship in a car that did not finish in the top 2 of the Constructors Championship for the firs time since Nelson Piquet did it In 1983.

That’s kind of ironic, isn’t it?

Congratulations to Max Verstappen.

Four championships in a row.

One of the greatest to ever do it.