Max Verstappen will become just the sixth man in Formula One history to win four world championship titles if he can see off his friend and rival Lando Norris at the Las Vegas Grand Prix this weekend. Red Bull’s three-time champion, who ended a 10-race winless drought by storming to victory from 17th on the grid in Brazil three weeks ago, needs only to stay ahead of Norris, or keep the McLaren driver out of the top eight finishers, to retain his crown.

The Dutchman, on 393, holds a 62-point lead over Norris, on 331, with 60 more points to be won after the Vegas race.

He knows he has no need to gamble as he seeks to join multiple champions Juan Manuel Fangio (five titles), Alain Prost (four), Michael Schumacher (seven), Sebastian Vettel (four) and Lewis Hamilton (seven).

After a blistering start to the season which saw him win seven of the first 10 races, Verstappen suffered a dip that saw his aggressive racing style called into question.

A return to form in Brazil and the experience of having won on the garish streets of Sin City in the inaugural Las Vegas event last year makes Verstappen a clear favourite to take his fourth title in consecutive years.