Formula 1 World champion Max Verstappen won the 18th race of his record-breaking season, overcoming a five-second penalty to win the Las Vegas Grand Prix. On the final lap, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc passed Red Bull’s Sergio Perez to take second position ahead of the Mexican, with Alpine’s French driver Esteban Ocon finishing fourth at the end of a race that featured many lead changes and lots of overtaking.

Verstappen had been dismissive of Formula One’s return to Vegas after a 41-year hiatus, saying it was a “99 percent show,” but as he went passed the finish line, he celebrated with a chorus of ‘Viva Las Vegas’ on the team radio. The Dutchman won by a margin of 2.070 points over Leclerc, but he had to work hard for it in what was the latest starting race in F1 history.

Starting second on the grid, the Dutchman took the lead in the first turn of the first lap but was penalized five seconds for shoving Leclerc wide. Lando Norris of McLaren crashed out, sliding into the barrier on turn 14 of the fourth lap, highlighting the treacherous surface. The British driver was transported to the hospital for precautionary checks. But Ferrari’s Monegasque driver Leclerc stayed close and reclaimed the lead, passing Verstappen on lap 16.

The Dutchman was forced to serve his penalty in the pits, giving him plenty of time to reclaim the lead, and when Leclerc pitted on lap 22, Perez took over at the front. Mercedes’ George Russell collided with Verstappen, clipping his front wing, resulting in a five-second penalty for the British driver, who crossed the line fourth but finished eighth. Leclerc and Perez battled for the lead, but Verstappen was steadily gaining ground, and after passing Perez on lap 37, he made his decisive move.

Verstappen never looked back after that, with Leclerc dropping into third after out-braking himself and allowing Perez to sail by. But there was one more twist in the tale, Leclerc superbly passed Perez to take second position. After starting in 12th place due to a ten-place grid penalty, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz rose to finish sixth behind Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Russell finished seventh and eighth, respectively, with Aston Martin’s veteran Spaniard Fernando Alonso ninth and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri tenth.

It was a tough one. I tried to go for it at the start. We both braked quite late and I just ran out of grip, so we ended up a bit wide, Verstappen said.