After the highs and lows that the 2024 season ensured Max Verstappen endured, the Dutchman came out of it as a four-time world champion. With only one win in the last 12 races, the #1 driver stuck to his own race and made sure that he wrapped up the title at the 2024 Las Vegas GP.
Putting the entire season into perspective, this was probably one of the most hard-fought titles of the 27-year-old’s career. Naturally, his family was elated beyond belief and came onto social media to express their pride for what Verstappen had achieved not only for himself but his family too.
Celebrating her son’s incredible title defense, former racing driver, Sophie Kumpen came onto her Instagram account to congratulate the Dutchman. Displaying a post commemorating the Red Bull driver’s championship triumph, she serenaded him with Survivor’s ‘Eye of the Tiger‘ from the movie Rocky IV.
It only made sense as Sylvester Stallone waived the chequered flag after the 50-lap race to confirm Verstappen’s title. The #1 driver’s father, Jos Verstappen also took to his Instagram account to express his exhilaration. “You are THE BEST,” he wrote to celebrate his son’s fourth-consecutive championship win. Verstappen’s sister, Victoria also followed suit on her Instagram handle.
View this post on Instagram
While the Dutch driver was never really in contention for the win at Vegas, this weekend, he ensured that he ran a race that all but confirmed his title win. Finishing P5 at the chequered flag, he knocked Lando Norris mathematically out of the running with two races to go.
Verstappen drove a true champion’s drive at the Las Vegas GP
Heading into the race, the objective for the Red Bull driver was clear: he needed to finish ahead of Norris. In the past, the 27-year-old has been known to always fight on track and it would have jeopardized his chances of sealing the title when Lewis Hamilton was making a move on him mid-race.
But his engineer was quick to jump on the radio and remind him of his target. That’s when he showed that he had matured into a bonafide F1 world champion. He let Hamilton pass without conflict.
When the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz came calling, he let them by as well. Fifth was enough for Verstappen to secure his title with Norris finishing right behind him in sixth. This win puts him alongside the likes of Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel to have the third-highest number of world championships.
