Winners and Losers from 2024 F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix

The Las Vegas Strip Circuit hosted a spectacular Las Vegas Grand Prix, won by George Russell in a shock Mercedes one-two. 

However, all eyes were on Max Verstappen, who secured his fourth consecutive F1 drivers' title after finishing in fifth. 

Carlos Sainz completed the podium, resulting in a heated radio message from Ferrrari team-mate Charles Leclerc. Lando Norris finished behind Verstappen in sixth.

So, who has made the RacingNews365 list of winners and losers for the 2024 F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix?

Winner - Max Verstappen

Obviously, the biggest winner in Sin City was Verstappen, who clinched his fourth consecutive F1 drivers' championship. 

After a difficult start to the weekend which saw Red Bull well off the pace, the Dutchman improved on Saturday and, crucially, qualified ahead of Norris. 

An excellent start by Verstappen saw him reach as high as second during the race, before falling back to fifth as a result of tyre degradation and graining. 

It was a controlled and mature display by the 27-year-old, with Verstappen having been more than aware that the bigger picture was sealing the title. 

If the title was not up for grabs, then perhaps the four-time world champion would have gotten his elbows out more; however, he knew that the target was simply to finish ahead of Norris.

Loser - McLaren

Finishing ahead of Norris was no real challenge, as McLaren struggled throughout the Las Vegas GP. 

For one of the first time's this season, the Woking-based team was fourth in the pecking order and had no pace. 

Neither Norris nor Oscar Piastri offered any genuine threat to Mercedes or Ferrari, whilst Verstappen was also out of reach. 

Sixth and seventh were Norris and Piastri's respective finishing positions, whilst Ferrari secured third and fourth. 

Because of this, the Maranello-based team are now just 24 points adrift of McLaren with two races remaining, intensifying the fight for the constructors' title. 

Verstappen sealing the title and Ferrari closing the gap marked a double blow for the British outfit in Sin City.

Winner - Mercedes

If it was not for Verstappen sealing the title, then the biggest winner of the Las Vegas GP would have comfortably been Mercedes. 

The Silver Arrows boasted excellent one-lap pace throughout practice and expected to fight for pole position; however, the Brackley-based team did not think it could fight for victory. 

Not only did Mercedes win, it claimed a comfortable one-two, with Lewis Hamilton having recovered from 10th on the grid to finish second. 

Russell secured pole and the win, although would have likely finished second had Hamilton not made two costly mistakes in Q3. 

At times, Mercedes were two seconds per lap faster than everybody else, and also experienced minimal graining and tyre degradation. 

The Las Vegas GP showed just how strong the W15 is in the right window, a window which Mercedes boss Toto Wolff conceded nobody understands.

Loser - Sergio Perez

Whilst it was a Las Vegas GP to remember for Verstappen, it was one to quickly forget for Sergio Perez. 

The Las Vegas Strip Circuit is very quirky, with Perez having struggled once again. He was eliminated in Q1 for the sixth time this season, and never looked in a position to challenge for a place in Q2. 

In the race, he did progress to 10th to score Red Bull a point, although he was once again nowhere near Verstappen's level. 

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko revealed during the Las Vegas GP that shareholders will make a decision over Perez's future with the team after Abu Dhabi. 

Perez looks closer than ever to a Red Bull exit, with him costing the team in the constructors' championship.

Winner - Haas

Following Haas' São Paulo setback of Alpine claiming a shock double podium, Nico Hulkenberg delivered another magical performance in Sin City. 

The German driver finished in eighth, ahead of RB's Yuki Tsunoda, whilst Pierre Gasly retired from third on the grid and Esteban Ocon finished outside the points.

As a result, Hulkenberg's P8 has promoted Haas back into sixth in the F1 constructors' standings, just a point ahead of Alpine. 

RB are just a further few points behind in eighth, in what is a battle which looks set to go down to the wire in Abu Dhabi.

Loser - Williams

After three crashes in São Paulo, Williams needed a clean weekend in Las Vegas. The complete opposite happened. 

Franco Colapinto had yet another huge crash in the closing seconds of Q2, resulting in significant damage to his FW46, increasing the team's repair bill this season. 

To make matters worse, Alex Albon was forced to retire from the race whilst battling for the final spot in the top 10.