Verstappen crowned four-time world champion, equalling Prost and Vettel

Max Verstappen has written a new golden chapter in Formula 1 history by becoming a four-time F1 world champion at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, rounding off an intense 2024 season. With this achievement, the Dutchman equals legends such as Sebastian Vettel and Alain Prost with four world titles, leaving only Juan Manuel Fangio (5), Michael Schumacher (7), and Lewis Hamilton (7) ahead of him.

Las Vegas was the perfect setting to seal the title, as his fifth-place finish was enough to make him unreachable for the rest. His performances throughout the year, with nine hard-fought victories and masterful drives in adverse conditions, proved why he’s one of the greatest drivers—not just on the current grid, but in F1 history.

This season has been one of the most challenging for Verstappen, who had to fight until the final stretch of the championship against a competitive Lando Norris. This was despite Max starting the year in dominant fashion, winning seven of the first ten races. His victories in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Japan, China, Emilia Romagna, Canada, and Spain made it seem as though the title would be decided early.

But nothing could have been further from the truth. After his seventh victory in Barcelona, an eleven-race winless drought followed—until one of his finest performances in tricky conditions saw him return to the top step in Brazil, and for the last time in Qatar. Verstappen’s and Red Bull’s mid-season slump was capitalised on by Norris, who was in top form with his McLaren, challenging Max in several races. In fact, Norris’s four wins and 13 podiums, combined with Piastri’s two victories and eight podium finishes, secured the Constructors’ Championship for the British team. Red Bull, having been the dominant force in previous seasons, had to settle for third place, behind McLaren and Ferrari.

At just 27 years old, Verstappen aims to continue expanding his legacy and challenging the records of Fangio, Schumacher, and Hamilton. Next season, however, he will have to do so without Adrian Newey, the mastermind behind Red Bull’s success. Newey, who designed the title-winning Red Bulls of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen—amassing eight drivers’ championships and seven constructors’ titles—will be stepping away from the team to lead the design of the Aston Martin 2026.