THE BIG PICTURE: The key to this championship was Max Verstappen never dropped points (outside of Australia). Whatever the car was capable of each race, that's where Max finished. No other driver or team can say that.

EVENT: A lot of the first year kinks were worked out this year, and the weekend went off much smoother. With no flying drain covers.

TRACK: The upside down pig delivers again.

QUALIFYING: Russell upholds Mercedes cold weather domination to get pole while Hamilton's mistakes puts him 10th, Gasly comes out of nowhere for third splitting the Ferraris, Verstappen manages to stay ahead of Norris, Perez is 1,000% useless, and Colapinto gives another headache to Williams.

RACE: Poor George Russell, as the cameras barely showed him, concentrating on all the action behind him, of which there was plenty.

START: Russell defends his position, Leclerc eats up Gasly and Sainz, Verstappen stays ahead of Norris which is all he cares about, and everybody plays it clean.

VERSTAPPEN: His toughest and most impressive championship? Perhaps. Many, including Max himself, say so. Wherever it ranks, it cements him as one of the all time best.

RED BULL: The one advantage they can give Verstappen next year? While the McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes drivers will take points off of each other, Red Bull's second driver won't versus Max. No matter who it is.

RUSSELL: George's best race ... no, weekend ... performance of his career. He made a statement he is ready to take over the leadership of Mercedes.

HAMILTON: Though, Lewis also showed the world he still has it.

MERCEDES: Definitely enjoyed these cold conditions despite not having the straightaway speed as others.

SAINZ: Continues to go out with full motivation.

LECLERC: While Charles shows anger towards the team and Carlos.

FERRARI: Back to screwing up strategy and pit stops.

NORRIS: It's said you have to first lose a championship before you can win one. The way Lando is talking, he seems to know this.

PIASTRI: But Oscar will be more than ready from the start of the year to try to claim it himself in 2025.

HAAS: After the somewhat flukish large points haul by Alpine in Brazil, Haas was able to leap back in front for sixth place in the championship.

TSUNODA: Trying everything he can to prove his worth to the parent team no matter how much they keep ignoring him.

PEREZ: Once again, unable to beat out an RB driver. But that double pass under breaking was something else.

SARGEANT: Say what you want about Logan, but he never destroyed cars as comprehensively as Franco Colapinto has the past two events. Heck, not even as bad as Albon this year, who twice had to have his care withdrawn from the race.

COLAPINTO: Franco's stock has taken two mighty hits (pun intended) the past two events.

GASLY: A depressing way to end what was a great performance in qualifying.

OCON: Talk about nobody greeting you when you arrive.

ALPINE: Anybody home? Anybody?

SAUBER: Still zero points.

FIA: Now they are switching Race Directors willy-nilly. Such a fine professional organization...

GM/CADILLAC: Welcome to the fold. Now the hard part begins.

WORD OF THE WEEKEND: Clinched.

STAT OF THE WEEKEND: 4 -- Not only did Max Verstappen win his fourth consecutive world championship, but he did so by beating out Lando Norris, who has the #4 number. It's also the only year four different teams scored a 1-2 finish. And four teams won races this year.

HISTORICAL STAT OF THE WEEKEND: This is the 60th 1-2 finish for Mercedes, tying the record held by Ferrari. The very first manufacturer 1-2 was in the very first Formula 1 race, the 1950 British GP. Alfa Romeo swept the entire podium with Nino Farino, Luigi Fagioli, and Reg Parnell, in that order. They were the only three cars on the lead lap.

TWEET OF THE WEEKEND: From the @F1 official site:

FOUR-MIDABLE

Max Verstappen joins five other F1 legends in becoming a four-time world champion

#F1 #LasVegasGP

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND: After the team told Charles Leclerc that Carlos Sainz was told to not put him under pressure and then duly passed his teammate, Leclerc said, "Maybe try in Spanish."

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND RUNNERUP: Pierre Gasly: "I have low power." Pit wall: "Everything's looking okay for us. We hit the limiter." Engine: "BOOM!"

SCHEDULE: Now we switch our attention to the constructors' championship, which is still very much up in the air amongst three teams. And it's a sprint weekend at Qatar.

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