A Thrilling Title Showdown Awaits at the FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN SILVER LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX 2024

In a city renowned for high-stakes showdowns and world-title fights, Max Verstappen heads to Las Vegas in a few short weeks with a clear objective: victory at the FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN SILVER LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX will secure him the 2024 FIA Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship.

The math is straightforward — the Red Bull driver simply needs to finish ahead of his title rival, Lando Norris, to claim his fourth consecutive world crown. The stage is set for an electrifying weekend under the floodlights on the Las Vegas Strip Circuit on November 21st-23rd, where Verstappen could emerge as champion in one of the season’s most thrilling settings.

Verstappen’s recent victory in Brazil — his first in 11 races — has extended his lead over Norris to 62 points in the Drivers’ standings, putting him on 393 points to Norris’s 331. With only 60 points remaining after Las Vegas (34 in Qatar, which includes a Sprint race, and 26 in the Abu Dhabi season finale), Verstappen’s target is clear: he must finish the race weekend 60 points ahead of the McLaren driver to guarantee the championship.

In the event of a points tie at the end of the year, Verstappen would still claim the title, as he holds a decisive advantage in race wins, with eight victories to Norris’s three. For Lando, it is a simple yet difficult task: he must outscore Max by at least three points in Nevada to keep his championship hopes alive.

A Norris victory in Las Vegas (worth 25 points) would achieve this, with Verstappen earning 18 points for a second-place finish. However, with points available to the top ten drivers and an extra point for the fastest lap, the permutations become more complex if they end up battling lower down the order on race day. It promises to be an ever-shifting scenario that will keep fans glued to every lap.

This intense title battle is the culmination of an exceptional season. Across 21 races, seven different drivers have taken race victories, with four teams claiming wins — marking the most diverse winners’ circle since 2012. Alongside the top three of Verstappen, Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, four other drivers have also triumphed, namely Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and both Mercedes drivers: Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.

While Charles Leclerc is now out of contention for the Drivers’ Championship, he remains in the hunt for a second-place finish — 24 points behind Norris. Perhaps more significantly, Ferrari are also locked in a thrilling battle for the Constructors’ Title, with McLaren currently leading on 593 points, a mere 35 points ahead of the famous Scuderia, who in turn lead Red Bull by just 13 points.

With 147 points still up for grabs across the final three races of the year, Ferrari and McLaren are eager to break Red Bull’s recent dominance in the teams’ competition. Ferrari are aiming for their first Constructors’ Crown since 2008, while McLaren seek to recapture glory last achieved over a quarter of a century ago in 1998!

The most recent race in Brazil showcased the razor-thin margins that have defined this season, with Alpine’s double podium propelling them from ninth to sixth in the Constructor’s standings after an impressive 35-point haul at Interlagos. The countdown is on, and with everything to play for, the FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN SILVER LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX is set to deliver a blockbuster race weekend worthy of the city’s spotlight.

Key Stats & Permutations:

• There have been seven race winners across the season so far – the last time there were that many race winners in a season was back in 2012.
• The last time Red Bull won the Constructors Championship was in 2023 with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
• The last time McLaren won the Constructors Championship was in 1998 with Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard.
• The last time Ferrari won the Constructors Championship was in 2008 with Felipe Massa and Kimi Räikkönen.
• Max Verstappen can win the 2024 Drivers World Championship in Las Vegas as long as he finishes the race ahead of his closest title rival, Lando Norris.
• Lando Norris must finish three points ahead of Max Verstappen in Las Vegas to keep his changes of the championship title alive.
• If Lando Norris and Max Verstappen finish the next two races in a one-two formation — with Lando Norris ahead — the title race would extend to the final race in Abu Dhabi.
• Lando Norris needs to outscore Verstappen by 21 points in each remaining round to win the championship.
• If Lando Norris ties with Max Verstappen at the end of the season, Verstappen will still win based on victory count (currently 8 to 3 in his favor).
• Charles Leclerc is now out of the fight for the 2024 Drivers’ World Championship. In the unlikely event that Leclerc won every remaining race, gains all the bonus points and wins the Sprint in Qatar, and Verstappen fails to score any further points, the duo would tie at the end of the season, and Verstappen would still win based on victory count.
• Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull are all still in contention to win the 2024 Constructors Championship, but no one can close it out in Las Vegas, while Mercedes can no longer mathematically win.