International media brand Verstappen 'the happiest man in the world right now'

08:57, 24 Nov

byTobia Elia

Here’s how international media reacted to Max Verstappen’s Las Vegas win and a championship now wider open than ever.

The four-time world champion, having lost pole on Saturday, delivered another stellar performance on Sunday, immediately forcing his title rival into an error at Turn 1 on the opening lap and snatching the race lead.

From there, it was all about managing the gap and pace, crossing the finish line to claim his sixth victory of the season and once again reigniting the fight for the drivers’ championship.

Max Verstappen - Red Bull Content Pool - Las Vegas

Max Verstappen in Las Vegas - Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

La Gazzetta dello Sport

La Gazzetta dello Sport highlighted Verstappen’s outstanding performance in Las Vegas and how the championship has been reopened, while also crediting Red Bull and their engineers for getting the RB21 back on track, allowing the Dutchman to perform at his best once again.

“Max Verstappen himself had said that, to have any chance of winning a fifth consecutive title, he would also need a bit of luck. And perhaps it’s no coincidence that in Las Vegas—the city of gambling—a combination unfolded that resembled a perfect poker hand: a crushing victory for the Dutchman and the disqualification of his main rivals in the championship hunt, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, due to technical irregularities.”

“Starting from the Monza GP, the four-time champion drove superbly, taking full advantage of the RB21’s improvements and increasingly putting Norris and Piastri under pressure, race after race. They had apparently convinced themselves too early that the championship was theirs alone.”

MARCA

The Spanish daily highlighted how Verstappen is “the happiest man in the world right now,” having unexpectedly reopened the championship, albeit largely helped by the disqualification of the two McLarens.

“Max Verstappen is the happiest man in the world right now. The world champion not only ended Lando Norris’s winning streak by standing atop the podium in Las Vegas, but he also slashed the maximum points lead over the McLarens after their disqualification, because the skid blocks on both of their cars measured less than 9 mm thick—the required minimum.”

“After a weekend of heavy rain and on-track setbacks, Sunday’s race was the complete opposite. Verstappen took advantage of the clear air from the opening lap to start building a gap to the rest of the field that proved, undeniably, untouchable. Against all odds, with two rounds remaining, he is still, mathematically, in the championship fight, just 24 points behind Norris.

British media warn Norris 'will be nervous now'

British media has devoted extensive coverage to the disqualification of both McLarens, with Norris, who had secured a solid second place and further strengthened his lead in the championship, now left with just a 24-point advantage over his teammate and Verstappen.

The Brit will need to be careful not to buckle under the pressure, though he still holds a reasonably comfortable cushion—enough to stay in control, but not enough to relax.

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