2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix race report and highlights: Max Verstappen crowned champion as George Russell leads Mercedes 1-2 in Las Vegas

Just behind, Verstappen and Norris raised the pulse of Red Bull and McLaren by going wheel-to-wheel in the first sector, while the remaining P5 and P6 from Tsunoda, Hulkenberg, Piastri and Hamilton respectively, as Lawson and Magnussen had their own close battle in the midfield.

By lap 4, Leclerc was all over the back of Russell and came close to making a move at Turn 14, with Verstappen slipping past Gasly for P4 and the Mercedes man then being forced to go defensive through Turn 1 at the start of lap 5 to keep the Ferrari behind.

Alonso gained more places in the opening laps, only for the venture to seemingly backfire when he pitted early to ditch his soft rubber, but there was a bigger problem for Piastri as the stewards handed him a five-second time penalty for an incorrect starting position.

After such a strong start to the race, Leclerc’s pace dropped dramatically off a cliff – allowing Sainz and Verstappen to move ahead in quick succession. Meanwhile, Hamilton made a move on Piastri for eighth position and Norris found his way past Gasly for P5.

Just 10 laps in, Leclerc pitted to swap his troubled intermediates for a set of hards alongside Norris. A lap later, Sainz, Gasly, Tsunoda and Piastri did the same, leaving Russell and Verstappen alone at the front and promoting Hamilton to third.