George Russell was untouchable at the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix. In a race full of intrigue, Max Verstappen secured the Drivers’ Championship, while others endured heartbreak under the lights on The Strip. Here are the winners and losers of the action-packed 2024 Las Vegas GP.
George Russell: 9.5
Grid Position P1, Race Result P1
Russell’s mission to dominate the Las Vegas GP began when he first took to the track in practice. Nailing his start and immediately opening up a lead, Russell disappeared into the distance and never looked back.
In a dominant display reminiscent of Verstappen’s performances early in the year, Russell controlled the race from the first lap, leading every lap even through his pit stops. He enjoyed a drama-free race, showcasing a level of driving that will undoubtedly excite Mercedes as he and the team prepare for his tenure as team leader from 2025.
A late charge from team-mate Lewis Hamilton looked like it could deny the lead Mercedes victory, but Russell took advantage of newer tyres in the final stint to manage the gap, securing his second win of the season. Although denied a grand slam, make no mistake, if Russell replicates this level of driving at a consistent level next season, he will be a championship contender. However, questions remain about whether he can do this.
Lewis Hamilton: 9.5
Grid Position P10, Race Result P2
Hamilton’s aggressive race showcased why he is a seven-time World Champion. Transforming from the desolated driver who threatened to walk away after the nadir from Brazil into an invigorated driver, his race was nothing short of astounding.
Displaying mental fortitude and awareness that has been lacking in 2024, his tyre management and execution of overtaking propelled him up the order from a lowly 10th through well-executed overtakes.
From there, he executed a near-perfect race to move into second, although his late challenge to steal the win from Russell ultimately failed. It does beg the question of what could have happened had he not spectacularly ruined his qualifying.
Carlos Sainz: 8.5
Grid Position P2, Race Result P3
Sainz demonstrated his skill and guile once again in Las Vegas. Losing track position at the start of the race to team-mate Charles Leclerc, Sainz initially fell back from the leading duo, choosing patience rather than taking precious performance out of his tyres.
Just three laps later, he was passed Leclerc but was forced to swap positions with Leclerc on Lap 28, just as the Mercedes of Hamilton closed in on the pair. He then suffered one of the more bizarre incidents of the race, crossing pit entry and rejoining the track, but did not receive a penalty. The reason for this faux pas was that Ferrari was not ready for him.
His aggressive move on Verstappen on Lap 42 secured his podium, but Sainz cut a frustrated figure after the race, calling the race poorly executed. He did all he could to secure a good result. Ferrari did not.
Charles Leclerc: 6.5
Grid Position P4, Race Result P4
Las Vegas proved disappointing for Leclerc, as Sainz comfortably had the measure of him in the race. A rush of blood to the head saw him throw caution to the wind and attack Russell in an ill-advised move. With his tyre life gone, pitting was inevitable, putting him at a disadvantage for the rest of the race.
Although he, too, passed Verstappen in the final few laps to secure the same position he started in, the race did not live up to the usual standards Leclerc sets. His vocal displeasure at his team-mate disobeying a direct team order not to overtake him earlier in the race only compounded his frustration—a poor race by the Monegasque’s standards.
Max Verstappen: 8.5
Grid Position P5, Race Result P5
Racing a car with a bodged rear wing should disadvantage any driver. The team quite literally cut apart the RB20 to make up for a performance deficit. Knowing he could win the title under the lights in Las Vegas, fans did not get to see Verstappen’s trademark aggression during the race.
Opting not to take risks, the likes of Hamilton breezed past with relative ease, but he knew finishing ahead of Lando Norris would be all that was needed to secure his fourth consecutive title. Achieving this at the start, he won the championship at the first corner—another flawless drive, showing a level of intelligence missing in his early career.
Sergio Perez: 3
Grid Position P15, Race Result P10
A poor start, including losing positions, once again set Perez on a path to self-destruction in Las Vegas. Commentators praised his early move on Alex Albon, but in competitive terms, it should have been like taking candy from a baby. Granted, the RB20 had a performance deficit to the front runners, but Perez’s efforts to keep his drive were as convincing as the watertight doors on the Titanic.
A brief reprieve came on Lap 38 with a stunning pass on three cars into one corner, the only reason his rating is uplifted from 2. But with a board meeting set to decide his future, all the Mexican can do now is try to enjoy the remaining two races.
Lando Norris: 6
Grid Position P6, Race Result P6
McLaren and Norris knew this race could be an issue after the FIA prevented the team from running its custom rear wing, and the fears became entirely justified. Norris had the fourth fastest car of the top teams in qualifying, but crucially, Verstappen’s Red Bull was ahead regarding speed and tyre management. Once Verstappen disappeared from view after the first lap, his slim title chances evaporated. Norris and McLaren have much to learn from their 2024 season, maximising results being the biggest lesson to action—an average race from Norris in a distinctly average car.
Oscar Piastri: 6
Grid Position P8, Race Result P7
Like Norris, Piastri had a fairly invisible race in his McLaren. Comfortably faster than the midfield pack behind but unable to challenge those in front, it was a question of damage limitation for the Australian. No real overtakes of note, he had a lonely race, finishing seven seconds behind his team-mate and the same distance ahead of Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas. He needs to demonstrate more speed in Qatar, the location of his first sprint win a year ago.
Nico Hulkenberg: 9
Grid Position P9, Race Result P8
Hulkenberg executed a perfect race under the lights in Las Vegas. Wisely choosing not to race Hamilton as he recovered from the lost ground, Hulkenberg secured his points finish after his second stop. Passing Yuki Tsunoda on lap 48 to move into eighth, his four points elevated Haas ahead of Alpine in the Constructors’ Championship with only two races remaining. Haas will miss him when he leaves at the end of the season.
Kevin Magnussen: 5.5
Grid Position P12, Race Result P12
Magnussen suffered yet another comprehensive defeat to his team-mate at the Las Vegas GP. While Hulkenberg could attack and move up the order, Magnussen drowned in the midfield after dramatically losing places at the start. On a recovery drive at the end of the first lap, he finished where he started 49 laps earlier. This race showcased the gulf between Magnussen and Hulkenberg, now the size of the Grand Canyon.
Yuki Tsuonda: 7.5
Grid Position P7, Race Result P9
Tsunoda maximised his car’s potential to secure a points finish, but it could and should have been eighth place rather than ninth. Losing position in the closing stages to Hulkenberg did not undo the excellent work from the rest of the race but did dampen spirits. His collision with a pit board showed how much he pushed, and he comfortably outclassed Liam Lawson. As far as his ongoing audition for Red Bull goes, the Las Vegas GP was another solid performance.
Liam Lawson: 4
Grid Position P14, Race Result P16
Lawson’s first visit to Las Vegas was nothing short of a complete disaster. Lacking confidence on his first visit to The Strip, he never seemed at one with his car. Unable to challenge those ahead of him, he battled with Sergio Perez again, finding his car surrounded on both sides. This became his only real screen time in a race where he was once again missing in action. He needs to bounce back in Qatar to keep himself in the frame for the Red Bull seat in 2025.
Fernando Alonso: 7
Grid Position P14, Race Result P11
Despite driving the equivalent of a mobile chicane, Alonso’s trademark aggressive driving dragged his AMR24 to the fringes of the points. Aston Martin’s downfall in the second half of the season has been spectacular, and the Spaniard is battling his car at every race to salvage any kind of result. To finish just six seconds behind Perez in 10th showcases there’s life in the old dog yet.
Lance Stroll: 2.5
Grid Position P18, Race Result P15
The Las Vegas GP was yet another monumental failure for Lance Stroll to convince his growing number of critics that he deserves his F1 seat. With no radio throughout the entire race, the Canadian was left to fend for himself and floundered on The Strip. Whether this leads to behavioural change at race weekends remains to be seen. With no pace, limited overtakes or signs of growth, it was a case of the status quo for F1’s most under-fire driver.
Zhou Guanyu: 8
Grid Position P13, Race Result P13
To call the Sauber C44 a dog of a car is not too harsh a comment, given it has destroyed Zhou’s confidence this season. Las Vegas demonstrated the credentials that secured the Chinese driver his F1 seat two years ago as he wrestled his car towards the points. It looked like he might secure Sauber’s first points finish at one stage, but his second pit stop took that chance away. But to finish 13th and have the speed to run inside the top 10 while his team-mate struggled will give Zhou much-needed confidence as he prepares to say goodbye to a full-time seat next season.
Valtteri Bottas: 2.5
Grid Position P19, Race Result P18
While his team-mate excelled around the fabled streets of Las Vegas, Bottas did something well known in Sin City: he disappeared for the night, only to reappear once the action had ended. His race was spent at the back, where he trundled around before coming home last of the classified finishers. Like his team-mate, he too is preparing to say goodbye to driving full-time in F1 next season. Based on this race, this decision is more than justified.
Franco Colapinto: 5
Grid Position P20, Race Result P14
Colapinto started his race on the back foot after his 50g crash in qualifying. He raced hard, a characteristic he is becoming known for, but failed to match the pace of team-mate Alex Albon prior to his retirement. Choosing the correct option of not writing off yet another chassis on race day, Colapinto will need to bounce back in Qatar with a clean race that avoids any kind of barrier. His team will thank him for it.
Alex Albon: N/A
Grid Position P17, Race Result DNF
Alex Albon’s early retirement sealed another truly awful weekend for the Grove outfit. A power unit issue robbed Albon of challenging for points, however unlikely this may have been at the time. Prior to this, he ran ahead of Colapinto and was dicing with Sergio Perez’s Red Bull. He will be hoping for better luck in the final two races as he prepares for the imminent arrival of Carlos Sainz.
Esteban Ocon: 3.5
Grid Position P11, Race Result P17
Ocon failed to stay above water in Las Vegas, as his team ended his only chance of scoring points by spectacularly messing up his pit stop, causing him to need to stop again. But his reaction of seemingly checking out of the race will not have gone down well with his team. He may have finished a lap down, but the question has to be asked how much of this was due to poor performance.
Pierre Gasly: N/A
Grid Position P3, Race Result DNF
Gasly’s race came crashing down when his Renault power unit blew in the opening laps. On a night when he could have secured yet another big points haul for Alpine, he and the watching world sighed incredulously when his team’s reaction to his engine failure was to calmly state everything was fine. It was a faux pas equivalent to leaving an exquisite ice sculpture in the blazing summer heat. The chances of enjoying a competitive car in the final two races look slim.
