Yesterday was the much-hyped relaunch of Formula 1 racing in Las Vegas, after a wait of 40 years. It was a star-studded affair as you can imagine, with the likes of Shaq, Rihanna, Kylie Minogue, Gordon Ramsay, Usain Bolt, Lindsey Vonn, and Lupita all there for the event. The race did not disappoint. Current world champion, Max Verstappen, emerged victorious in a thrilling race that featured plenty of overtaking and drama. The Dutchman overcame a five-second time penalty to beat rivals Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez to the checkered flag.
Verstappen started the race from pole position, but he was quickly overtaken by Leclerc at the first corner. The Dutchman then received a five-second penalty for forcing Leclerc off the track, but he was able to serve it during the first round of pit stops. Verstappen regained the lead from Leclerc with a clever overtake at the restart after a safety car period, and he never looked back from there. He crossed the finish line to win his 18th race of the season, extending his lead in the drivers' championship to 126 points. Leclerc finished in second place, just over two seconds behind Verstappen. The Monegasque driver had a strong race, but he was ultimately unable to match the pace of the Red Bull driver. Perez finished in third place, after a late-race battle with Esteban Ocon. The Mexican driver pitted for new tires with a few laps to go, and he was able to close the gap to Ocon and pass him for third place.
Safety cars did add a bit of drama to the race on two occasions. The first safety car was deployed on lap 12 after Mick Schumacher crashed at Turn 1. The second safety car was deployed on lap 32 after Daniel Ricciardo stopped on track with a technical problem. Verstappen's victory in the Las Vegas Grand Prix extends his lead in the drivers' championship to 126 points. With just three races remaining, based on the points, the Dutchman has already won his third Formula One world title in a row this season. Winning the Las Vegas Grand Prix was a fitting victory lap, in a sense, for a driver that is living up to his dad's legacy and is fast becoming one the greats in Formula One.
(Author's note: You can watch Formula 1 online, they have their own subscription channel and app, check out: F1 TV | Home (formula1.com))
Race highlights video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9qSwDxF6YI
