Formula 1: Will Max Verstappen’s winning streak continue in Las Vegas?

Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) has now finished eight races in a row – including the São Paulo Grand Prix – in the top three, i.e. on the podium. He has stood at the very top of the podium three times. What a run! Next up, in the final stages of the World Championship, is Las Vegas of all places, where Verstappen has won two of the three F1 races held there so far.

However, as we all know, everything is a little different this year with the new regulations for engines and chassis. So as to whether Verstappen and Red Bull Racing will once again be the team to beat – Verstappen didn’t want to commit himself just yet.

Will Max Verstappen’s F1 run continue in Las Vegas?

After finishing second in São Paulo (having started from 21st on the grid), the Dutchman said: “I’ve no idea, because Vegas is so different and so difficult for everyone to get to grips with. First of all, the start-finish straight. It’s a very long straight, so I think I’d have to drop back a bit in the middle of it to gain some top speed. That’s just the way it is this year when it comes to energy management on that straight.”

For Verstappen, one thing is certain: “It’s going to be very, very difficult. Perhaps the circuit is a bit like Monza, where slipstreaming works quite well and is advantageous. The problem, however, is that it’s so cold there that every car behaves completely differently. Some cars suddenly perform extremely well on a track like that. We’ve seen that happen in the past. I have to say that, for that reason, it’s not usually our best track, but we’ll see if we can get the tyres working. To be honest, that’s the key to success there.”

Verstappen’s record since the summer has been impressive overall: if you exclude his crash-induced retirement at his home race in Zandvoort, Verstappen would actually have racked up ten podiums in a row. After a bumpy start to the season, the Dutchman and his team have more than turned things round. With Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi still to come, Verstappen has three races left in which to defend or extend his second place in the Drivers’ Championship (17 points ahead of George Russell/Mercedes).