Products You May Like
Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton dominated the Las Vegas Grand Prix after securing a 1-2 finish in the same order. While the former qualified in pole position, the seven-time world champion, despite qualifying tenth, skillfully navigated through traffic to claim second place.
Russell delivered a masterful performance, starting from pole position and maintaining a commanding lead that left his rivals trailing until the checkered flag. His dominance was fueled by the W15 F1 car, which showcased extraordinary speed throughout the weekend for reasons unknown.
While Mercedes has admitted that its car tends to be stronger in chilly race locations, such as Las Vegas, the root cause behind the anomaly is yet to be known. Russell had the same question on his mind as he decided to cancel his travel plans to stay and celebrate his victory in Vegas. He said:
“I was planning on flying in a couple of hours, but I’m definitely not getting on that flight and I’m going to enjoy this evening with all my team.
“It’s been a dream of a weekend. I don’t know how we would have been so quick, but I’m just riding this wave right now. I can’t even describe this place.
“To get the victory here, pole position, dominant weekend, one-two with Lewis as well, you know, we couldn’t have chosen a better place to make this happen.
“I was just waiting for something to happen. The two races I’ve been on pole before, it’s always been chaos.
“Rain, dry, and always something happening. Last race in Brazil with the red flag. I thought ‘I feel confident here. I’ve got a good gap, but I’m just waiting for something to happen’. And it didn’t. So I guess my luck has turned!”
Hamilton showcased impressive speed compared to the other frontrunners. However, his efforts to close the gap to his race-winning teammate ultimately fell short. The Briton congratulated Max Verstappen on his fourth championship victory and revealed the team didn’t know the real reason behind the W15 F1 car’s dominant pace on the Strip. He said:
“That was great.
“Firstly I’ve got to say a big congratulations to Max winning the championship, still with several races to go.
“And if I’d done my job yesterday, it would have been a breeze today. But it’s okay. I had fun coming from the back, coming from 10th and the team did a fantastic job.
“We don’t know why we were so quick this weekend, but that’s the best the car’s ever felt. So I’m grateful to have been a part of getting it to that point.
“Maybe the reason that we did so well is because it’s cold. If we’re in a hot climate, that’s where we struggle the most.
“If the car drives like that in the next couple of races, then I think we’ll be in a good spot to challenge the guys up front. The championship’s done, so now it’s just an all-out fight for the best positions possible.”
Mercedes and Hamilton could achieve their goal of closing the 2024 season on a high in Qatar and Abu Dhabi if the W15 continues to showcase the dominant pace it displayed in Las Vegas, ahead of the 39-year-old’s move to Ferrari in 2025.