A fan bet a whopping $200,000 on Max Verstappen to win the 2023 Las Vegas GP despite Ferrari being favorites to finish P1. In the end, however, the lucky fan walked away with a massive $100,000 profit, per reports on X.
The fortune of the fan was revealed by BetMGM, a subsidiary of the revered MGM Group. What makes this gamble really spectacular is the form Ferrari were in for the entirety of the race weekend. The SF-23 looked like a supreme package all through the weekend with Charles Leclerc grabbing a comfortable pole position during Qualifying.
Verstappen won his 18th Grand Prix of the season on the iconic Vegas strip. However, this victory wasn’t like his previous 17. This time around, it wasn’t until the final lap and the final corner that anyone knew for sure that the Dutchman was going to come out victorious. Throughout the race, he had to manage a cumbersome RB19 with Leclerc breathing down his neck. What’s more, his race wasn’t uneventful at all with an early penalty and contact with George Russell on lap 29.
It wasn’t until the 2nd Safety Car that Leclerc was finally put out of contention. After Verstappen made contact with Russell, the resultant debris led to a full-course caution. With Leclerc just having pit 5 laps ago, the Safety Car neutralized any advantage he had over the three-time champion. As such, Verstappen then assumed the driver’s seat in contention for the win.
Despite being penalized, Max Verstappen prevailed over Charles Leclerc
Verstappen was penalized with a 5-second time penalty for running Leclerc wide into turn 1 at the start of the race. Four wheels off the track, the Dutch lion assumed the lead of the race, albeit with a time penalty to serve. In the aftermath of the race, Leclerc questioned the veracity of the stewards’ decision in not directing the 26-year-old to yield the position to the Monegasque.
No one at Ferrari was pleased with the result as they knew a win was on the horizon. Be that as it may, now, the team has shifted it’s focus onto the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The last race of the season will decide who seals P2 in the Constructors’ championship with only 4 points separating the Scuderia from Mercedes.
With recent form in mind, it seems as though the prancing horse of Ferrari will triumph over the Silver Arrows. The W14 has been an unpredictable beast in the hands of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. With only one race to go, Ferrari may just edge Mercedes to P2 in the championship this race weekend.
