MAX VERSTAPPEN has won the chaotic F1 race in Las Vegas – making it victory No.18 this campaign!
Red Bull were seconds away from clinching a one and two finish before Charles Leclerc pipped Sergio Perez to the chequered flag.
Lewis Hamilton's chances of finishing second on the overall leaderboards are officially over having finished down in 7th.
But fans are still shocked by Lando Norris' horror crash which has seen the McLaren racer get taken to hospital.
- PODIUM: Verstappen (P1), Leclerc (P2), Perez (P3)
- TV channel: UK: Sky Sports F1/ US: ESPN
- Live stream: UK: NOW/ US: ESPN app/website
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Follow ALL the action from Las Vegas with our live blog below
- By Kieran Davies
Ferrari driver scoops race award
Charles Leclerc has been voted for driver of the day.
It was well deserved as he took second place from Sergio Perez in the final lap of the race.
Starting on pole position, Leclerc had to work hard to get his podium finish.
Credit: @F1 - By Kieran Davies
Verstappen continues trophy collection
The Red Bull driver will no doubt be needing to add another wing to his home to house all his trophies.
It never gets old for the Dutch driver and each win seems to mean as much as the last.
The bright lights of Vegas is a new venue for his celebrations.
Credit: Reuters Credit: AP - By Kieran Davies
Always Sunny in Wrexham (and Vegas)
Rob McElhenney takes time for a pic with Kaitlin Olson.
The Wrexham football club owner was enjoying the vibe of the Las Vegas Grand Prix this evening.
No Ryan Reynolds with him today at the circuit though.
Credit: AFP
- By Kieran Davies
Mexican seals highest season finish
Sergio Perez's third place today has guaranteed him second place overall in the driver's championship.
It is the highest that Checo Perez has ever finished.
Sealing first and second for Red Bull, Verstappen and Perez have delivered a perfect season for the constructor.
Credit: Reuters - By Kieran Davies
The man, the myth, the machine
This has been a stand-out season for Max Verstappen.
He has been head and shoulders above the rest of the field for the entire season.
No F1 driver has been stood on top of the podium as much as the Dutch driver in a single season now.
Verstappen now has 53 victories in Formula One, putting him third in the overall standings and level with Sebastian Vettel.
Credit: AFP - By Kieran Davies
Bieber signals Red Bull victory
In typical Las Vegas glitz and glamour, Justin Bieber waved the chequered flag as Verstappen sealed his win.
There have been more celebrities involved in this race than cars.
Bieber looks overjoyed at his involvement in the event.
Credit: Reuters - By Kieran Davies
Red Bull gives you wins
Max Verstappen wins his 18th Grand Prix of the 2023 season.
Every win extends the Dutch driver's record for the number of wins in a single F1 campaign.
As he celebrates his win, he can be heard singing 'Viva Las Vegas' on the team radio.
Credit: @F1 - By Kieran Davies
Las Vegas Grand Prix results
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
- Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- By Kieran Davies
Max Verstappen wins the Las Vegas Grand Prix
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 49/50 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
George Russell has moved up into fifth position.
Esteban Ocon sits in fourth place.
Verstappen now has a 4.5 second lead, Perez is looking to hold off the charge of Leclerc in third place.
Credit: AP - By Kieran Davies
Lap 47/50 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Max Verstappen has opened up a 4.3 second lead on Perez.
Leclerc is trying to close the gap on second place with only 0.7 seconds between the pair.
The Ferrari driver is driving to break up the Red Bull dominance on this podium.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 45/50 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Leclerc takes a wildly wide angle on the corner and loses second place.
Perez immediately opens up a 1.6 second lead on the Ferrari.
Red Bull occupies first and second spot with 3.3 seconds between them.
Credit: AFP - By Kieran Davies
Lap 43/50 – Verstappen leads, Leclerc second
It will be important for Verstappen to manage his tyres for the remainder of the race.
The team radio tells him to try and protect his front right tyre.
It could be the only thing to threaten his winning this race now as he opens up a 2.1 second lead.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 41/50 – Verstappen leads, Leclerc second
Verstappen will take some moving now as we head into the last 10 laps of the race.
Perez will still be focussed on hunting down the Ferrari to get second place.
It has been a while since we have seen that Red Bull one two.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 39/50 – Verstappen leads, Leclerc second
Max Verstappen takes his chance in the braking zone and gets the inside line using DRS to take first spot back.
Charles Leclerc tries to react but as they go into the corner, the Dutch driver has that inside line and manages to keep the lead.
The Ferrari is now sandwiched in between the two Red Bulls.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 37/50 – Leclerc leads, Verstappen second
It has all gone pear-shaped for Sergio Perez.
Firstly he presented the chance for Leclerc to take back first position.
Then Verstappen takes his chance to get ahead of his teammate.
The Dutch driver gets on the team radio 'let's work together here and we can get him'.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 35/50 – Perez leads, Leclerc second
Ocon and Gasly are having a battle for fifth and sixth places.
There are no team instructions in place here as they go wheel to wheel.
Gasly takes Ocon but his Alpine teammate immediately steals the place back again.
Credit: AP - By Kieran Davies
Lap 33/50 – Perez leads, Leclerc second
Leclerc is having to work hard to keep Perez out.
Checo is putting in a good drive so far and sees the chance of a race win with Verstappen back in fourth place.
The majority of drivers are out on the hard tyres now.
Perez takes the inside line at the corner and takes the lead.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 31/50 – Leclerc leads, Perez second
Sergio Perez is putting some real pressure on Charles Leclerc with 0.5 seconds between the pair.
As the safety car heads back in, there is no DRS for the first two laps afterwards.
It is protecting Leclerc's position just now but the Red Bull seems focussed on the Ferrari now.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 29/50 – Leclerc leads, Perez second
Charles Leclerc gets himself back into first place.
Pierre Gasly sits in third place, Oscar Piastri is in fourth.
Max Verstappen is in fifth place, having pitted twice already.
George Russell has been awarded a five second penalty for that coming together with the Red Bull.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 27/50 – Perez leads, Stroll second
Russell and Verstappen have contact as they continue their duel.
It seems the Dutchman's front wing was damaged by the coming together.
Parts of the Red Bull car go flying into the air and onto the track.
The virtual safety car is out as they collect the debris.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 25/50 – Perez leads, Stroll second
Sainz, Russell and Verstappen are having a real battle now.
They occupy fourth, fifth and sixth position with barely a second between them,
Verstappen takes Sainz and moves into fifth place.
Credit: AP - By Kieran Davies
Lap 23/50 – Perez leads, Stroll second
As Leclerc heads into the pits, he returns to the track in third place.
His teammate Carlos Sainz is behind him in fourth place.
Fernando Alonso has made his way back up the field and now sits in sixth place.
George Russell is in fifth place with his teammate all the way back in seventeenth place.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 21/50 – Leclerc leads, Perez second
Only Leclerc and Ocon have yet to pit in the top ten.
Ocon is now in third place with Stroll in fourth spot.
Verstappen is back in eighth position after his pit and subsequent penalty.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 19/50 – Leclerc leads, Perez second
Hamilton seems to have a puncture as he has a coming together with Piastri.
The Mercedes driver is struggling with his car and has to go into the pits.
Leclerc now has a 14.3 seconds lead on Perez in second position.
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