Right here is our full textual content transcript from spherical 22 of the 2024 Method 1 championship, the Las Vegas Grand Prix on the Las Vegas Strip circuit:
Welcome again to Las Vegas for a probably decisive day within the 2024 Method 1 season. On Saturday evening in Sin Metropolis, Max Verstappen has the chance to seal the Drivers’ Championship by ending forward of Lando Norris. The Dutchman isn’t on pole although! The spot on the entrance of the grid belongs to George Russell after a superb show from the Mercedes driver yesterday.
Pole-sitter George Russell on Sky Sports activities F1:
“Carlos is certainly a menace. He was solely simply behind us all day actually. They’re not one million miles away. I believe we hit the bottom operating rather well after which everybody has been dropping their wing ranges. The Ferraris are actually fast in a straight line. So, that’s most likely going to be the largest menace, their straight-line pace.”
No one has used the laborious tyres all weekend and the groups have saved two units, simply in case degradation is worse than they anticipate, or there’s a well timed Security Automotive. It ought to be a one-stop race, however a Digital Security Automotive or Security Automotive, or perhaps a purple flag will change all that!
All however 4 drivers are beginning the race on medium tyres. We’ve received three beginning on hards, together with Crimson Bull’s Sergio Perez in P15. Fernando Alonso is the one driver beginning on softs, seeking a fast getaway little question.
The formation lap begins and all 19 automobiles get off the grid. Franco Colapinto is beginning within the pit lane as a consequence of modifications made to his automobile after an enormous crash. Right here we go, not lengthy to attend now till the Las Vegas Grand Prix…
Lap 1/50: George Russell makes the right begin and Charles Leclerc nails the primary nook to take second place! He will get by Pierre Gasly and goes across the outdoors of Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz at Flip 3. Good from the Monegasque driver. Max Verstappen and Lando Norris have been aspect by aspect on the first nook, however the Crimson Bull driver managed to only about to remain in entrance. There’s no change to the positions within the prime 10 other than Leclerc’s soar ahead, with Lewis Hamilton nonetheless in tenth.
Lap 4/50: Max Verstappen will get the job achieved with the assistance of DRS up the again straight to go fourth. The Dutchman places a automobile between himself and Lando Norris, and is trying good for the title early on right here! Russell covers the within into Flip 14 and the pair virtually go aspect by aspect by the scary final nook. The Mercedes driver fends off Leclerc into Flip 1 and nearly retains the lead. Nice racing.
Lap 5/50: Oscar Piastri could possibly be in a spot of trouble right here. He’s been famous by the stewards for a false begin, and should effectively have a penalty coming his manner. He has simply retaken eighth from Nico Hulkenberg, but it surely’s not been an awesome begin to his night on The Strip.
Lap 6/50: Russell pulls away out of DRS vary from Leclerc and now Sainz is correct behind his Ferrari team-mate. Verstappen is in fourth, with Norris in sixth, in order it stands, the Dutchman will develop into champion.
Lap 7/50: It’s taken him a second, however Lando Norris is now proper on the tail of Pierre Gasly. It shouldn’t be lengthy earlier than the McLaren can clear the Alpine with the assistance of DRS.
Lap 7/50: Since that massive assault from Leclerc, Russell has pumped within the lap occasions and is 2.2 seconds in entrance of Leclerc.
Lap 8/50: Carlos Sainz will get by Charles Leclerc on the again straight and is now in second place. Leclerc’s tempo has utterly vanished.
Lap 8/50: What a duel that is! Lewis Hamilton is all around the again of Oscar Piastri however the younger Australian is holding off the seven-time world champion for now. Mercedes clearly have respectable tempo at this stage of the race.
Lap 8/50: Certainly Leclerc has a difficulty. Verstappen breezes previous too on the long term right down to Flip 14. Martin Brundle wonders if Leclerc pushed too laborious when behind Russell earlier on.
Lap 9/50: Lando Norris has received previous Pierre Gasly for fifth, but it surely’s not excellent news for the opposite McLaren as Lewis Hamilton completes the job on Oscar Piastri for eighth. Norris will certainly shut on the struggling Leclerc now. Passes all over the place as soon as extra in Las Vegas!
Lap 10/50: Leclerc pits for a brand new set of hards, which isn’t any shock however so does Norris. They each come out in direction of the again of the sector. The tyre graining is big right here in Las Vegas as soon as your tyres drop out of the optimum working window.
Lap 10/50: Lewis Hamilton continues to be flying. He’s received previous Yuki Tsunoda and is now on the again of Pierre Gasly, for what’s at present P4.
Lap 11/50: It’s tyre chaos in Las Vegas as Carlos Sainz loses tempo and he’s overtaken simply by Max Verstappen. Verstappen is as much as second and eight seconds behind George Russell. Sainz then pits and comes out forward of Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris.
Lap 11/50: Oscar PIastri has simply had a five-second penalty for a false begin confirmed. It was apparently as a result of truth he lined up past his the entrance of his pit field. He’s simply come into the pits and served the penalty, which has put him right down to P18 for now.
Lap 12/50: A really fast two-second pit cease from Crimson Bull and Max Verstappen additionally comes out in visitors. Crucially, he’s forward of each Ferraris and Norris although.
Lap 12/50: Mercedes are trying supreme right here, and their tyres working so effectively has resulted in Lewis Hamilton transferring as much as second behind his team-mate George Russell. The hole between them is 15 seconds, and Hamilton may not be utterly out of this one but.
Lap 12/50: In comes George Russell. The race chief stops and crucially comes again out in second place, comfortably forward of the massive squabble behind him. Lewis Hamilton leads – how for much longer can he go for?
Lap 13/50: Max Verstappen and each Ferraris are making their manner by the midfield visitors, who haven’t pitted. Verstappen is now in fifth with Sainz in sixth and Leclerc in seventh. They’ve all overtaken Colapinto, Bottas and Magnussen.
Lap 13/50: Lewis Hamilton solely lasts a lap longer than George Russell, however he’s now within the combine. He comes out simply behind Lando Norris in what’s at present ninth place, however there are three automobiles forward of him who’re but to cease.
Lap 14/50: Lewis Hamilton seems to be a bit confused by the race scenario. He complains over staff radio about what number of locations he thinks he’s misplaced. However he’s truly proper on the tail of the leaders and has simply, together with Norris, handed Kevin Magnussen. They’re now operating in seventh and eighth.
Lap 16/50: Sergio Perez began on the laborious tyres, so was operating in second place. He lets Crimson Bull team-mate Max Verstappen by and Carlos Sainz additionally will get by.
Lap 17/50: Lewis Hamilton overtakes Lando Norris down the again straight and units a brand new quickest lap of the race too. Leclerc, Hamilton and Perez all overtake Perez, who then comes into the pits.
Lap 18/50: George Russell is cruising out entrance. His lead over Max Verstappen is as much as 10 seconds, and the best way Hamilton goes, Mercedes could possibly be on for a one-two right here. Hamilton is only a second again from fourth-placed Charles Leclerc.
Lap 20/50: He’s not profitable, however Max Verstappen may be very a lot on target to seal the world championship tonight. There are eight seconds and three automobiles between Verstappen and Norris at this level. The Dutchman simply wants to complete forward of Norris to retain his title.
George Russell leads Max Verstappen by 10 seconds, with Carlos Sainz two seconds again from the Crimson Bull driver. Then comes the Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton combat, however the latter doesn’t have the straight line pace to make an overtake. Lando Norris is in a lonely sixth for the time being. All of the front-runners have pitted as soon as and are on the hards. We now anticipate a two-stop race.
Lap 25/50: Alex Albon is just not a cheerful camper. After being informed that Williams are managing an issue and he can’t use his overtake mode, he asks: “Can now we have one race with out points?” He’s at present operating within the remaining factors place in P10.
Lap 26/50: The difficulty is terminal for Alex Albon, who has been informed to retire his automobile. Meaning Zhou Guanyu is into the highest 10 and on target to attain Sauber’s first level of the season!
Lap 26/50: Into the pits comes Oscar Piastri from eighth and he comes again out in fifteenth. That’s Piastri’s second pit cease on this race.
Lap 28/50: Carlos Sainz lets Charles Leclerc by into Flip 14 and Lewis Hamilton almost overtakes him too. It appears like Sainz was going to pit however he comes again onto the observe, chopping throughout the pit entry. Hamilton does pit although. Chaos!
Lap 27/50: Forward of that battle, Max Verstappen comes into the pits. He’s out behind Lando Norris in fifth, with Hamilton simply behind his outdated rival.
Lap 30/50: Carlos Sainz asks what occurred when he was informed to remain out on the final second and Ferrari say they weren’t prepared. We anticipate Sainz to get a penalty for chopping throughout the white line on the pit entry.
Lap 30/50: Lando Norris has simply made his second cease. He comes out in seventh and greater than 10 seconds behind fifth-placed Carlos Sainz. It’s not occurring for the McLaren driver right this moment.
Lap 32/50: Lewis Hamilton cruises by Max Verstappen on the again straight and that successfully places him into second place. Verstappen knew he might do nothing about Hamilton there.
Lap 31/50: Charles Leclerc is the newest of the front-runners to cease. He comes out simply behind team-mate Carlos Sainz in fifth however has more energizing tyres. Will Ferrari swap their automobiles again over? We’ve nonetheless heard nothing on a potential penalty for Sainz’s aborted pit lane entry…
Lap 33/50: George Russell pits from first place for a brand new set of laborious tyres. All the front-runners have pitted twice now. Russell comes out 11 seconds forward of his team-mate Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes are on target for a one-two!
Lap 33/50: Nico Hulkenberg has made his second cease, which elevates Lando Norris again as much as sixth. The Brit is 10 seconds behind Charles Leclerc in P5, along with his team-mate Oscar Piastri 10 seconds behind him in P7.
Lap 35/50: Russell leads by 10 seconds from Hamilton, with Verstappen three seconds behind the seven-time world champion. Then come Sainz and Leclerc, with Norris by himself at 11 seconds behind the Ferrari duo. All Verstappen has to do keep in mind is end forward of Norris to develop into world champion right this moment. That appears virtually sure to occur.
Lap 36/50: “Hamilton is on a mission,” says Sky Sports activities F1’s Martin Brundle. The hole is right down to 9 seconds, regardless of Hamilton being on older laborious tyres.
Lap 39/50: Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc are additionally flying alongside collectively in unison. Max Verstappen is simply 1.2 seconds forward of Sainz and could possibly be underneath stress from the Ferraris within the subsequent couple laps.
Lap 41/50: Verstappen makes a small error into Flip 5 and Sainz is correct on his gearbox…
Lap 42/50: Verstappen doesn’t defend too laborious from Sainz, who merely goes down the within into Flip 14 to take third place. Leclerc ought to comply with by on the following lap you’ll assume.
Lap 44/50: Ted Kravitz has been down on the Mercedes storage and has been informed Lewis Hamilton is free to try to catch and go his team-mate George Russell. It does look as if his excellent cost could be about to fall brief, with the hole having stabilised at simply over 5 seconds.
Lap 45/50: Verstappen is 1.1 seconds behind Sainz, so Leclerc could have an opportunity to mount a severe assault on the Crimson Bull driver quickly.
Lap 46/50: Leclerc goes down the within of Verstappen into Flip 14 to take fourth place. Once more, Verstappen doesn’t make it laborious as he is aware of he’s nonetheless ready to develop into world champion.
Lap 47/50: Lewis Hamilton has made slightly error, which additional eases the stress on George Russell forward. Hamilton received off form and had to make use of the run-off space, which noticed him lose a second to his team-mate. Russell’s lead is over six seconds now.
Lap 50/50: George Russell has simply began his remaining lap, and appears set to finish a dominant weekend right here. Lewis Hamilton’s tyres have gone and Carlos Sainz is closing on him, however the six-second hole ought to be sufficient to make sure Mercedes declare the one-two right here.
Chequered flag: George Russell completes a faultless efficiency to take victory for Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton was completely sensible right this moment and and makes it a one-two for the Silver Arrows. Max Verstappen crosses the road in fifth and Lando Norris is simply sixth, so Verstappen is the 2024 world champion!
It’s his fourth consecutive world title for Verstappen. An unbelievable marketing campaign from the Dutchman and he will get the championship sealed with two races to spare.
Carlos Sainz finishes on the rostrum for Ferrari in third place, with Charles Leclerc in P4.
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