Date: November 24, 2024, 10:29h.
Last updated on: November 24, 2024, 11:31h.
Perhaps it wasn’t as thrilling, but Dutch racer Max Verstappen still clinched his 4th straight Formula 1 driver championship title by finishing 5th at the Las Vegas Grand Prix last night.
Now, attention shifts to betting on F1’s Constructors’ Championship with only two races remaining in the 2024 F1 season, according to traders.
Last night, Verstappen only needed to hold off Lando Norris of McLaren to give his Red Bull team the driver championship. He finished 5th, while Norris finished 6th.
Verstappen becomes the 6th driver in F1 history to win at least four titles. He joins Juan Manuel Fangio, Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, and Lewis Hamilton.
Betting Statistics
Mercedes secured a 1-2 victory last night – George Russell claimed victory, with Hamilton in 2nd place. Carlos Sainz Jr. of Ferrari completed the podium. Hamilton’s 2nd-place finish marked Mercedes’ first 1-2 finish since 2022.
In terms of betting, Verstappen was the most bet driver (tickets) at 20.4% and the most bet driver (handle) at 29.1% before the race, as per BetMGM. According to PointsBet traders, Verstappen was the 4th favorite, receiving the most bets at 30%, while Sainz was the favorite and attracted the most money at 53%. Oscar Piastri was favored to be on the podium and achieve the fastest lap as well.
McLaren (608 points) and Ferrari (584) are neck and neck with just two races left in the F1 calendar – Nov. 29-Dec. 1 in Qatar and Dec. 6-8 in Abu Dhabi. Red Bull currently sits 3rd (555) in the constructor standings. The team with the most championship points at the end of the season becomes the world champions. Although the Drivers’ Championship receives more media attention, the Constructors’ Championship is the ultimate goal for the teams. Current BetMGM odds have McLaren at -400, Ferrari at +250, and Red Bull at +10000.
The F1 scoring system allocates championship points to the top ten finishers in each Grand Prix race. The winner earns 25 points, with points decreasing for the subsequent positions before reaching 10th place and finally 1 point. An additional point is awarded for the driver with the fastest lap of the race (if they finish in the top ten), along with more points available for success in Formula 1’s Sprint races.
Mercedes Finishes 1-2
As a team, we stuck together,” Verstappen stated post-race. “We faced many challenging races and had numerous discussions back at the factory, but we remained composed, which I believe is crucial. We handled the pressure well, and we maximized our results. At times, we even performed better than expected, capitalizing on our competitors’ setbacks. Consistency is key to winning championships.”
With 20 laps remaining in the race, Verstappen was in third place, with the team focusing on wrapping up the driver championship while also considering the implications for the constructor championship.
Reduced Infrastructure Issues this Year
Issues plagued last year’s inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, part of the U.S. F1 circuit that includes stops in Miami and Austin, Texas.
The Las Vegas Strip Circuit is a temporary 6.2-kilometer, 50-lap, 17-turn street track, passing iconic locations like Caesars Palace, the Bellagio, and the Venetian, a race under the Vegas lights. Verstappen expressed frustrations last year regarding how the glamour of Vegas overshadowed the race despite winning (opinions countered by rival Lewis Hamilton and other individuals); loose manhole covers; local complaints; high ticket prices; canceled practice sessions.
This year saw fewer off-track issues. Away from the race, the film F1 starring Brad Pitt was being shot around the Las Vegas Grand Prix. One scene shows Pitt’s character emerging at the track after escaping a crash. Celebrities like Sylvester Stallone (who waved the checkered flag at the end of the race), Paris Hilton, Axl Rose, Gordon Ramsay, and Ludacris were also in attendance.
Norris achieved the fastest lap on Lap 50, averaging 235.292 with a late stop for softer tires, his fifth time achieving this feat this season. Verstappen claimed the more significant prize despite Norris’s achievement.
Spectators at the event witnessed The Sphere congratulating Verstappen post-race. BetMGM lists Norris (McLaren) at +225, Verstappen at +300, and Russell at +600 as betting favorites for Qatar.