Entertainment Sports F1 Star Max Verstappen Reveals What Fuels His Races as He Wins Fourth World Championship in Las Vegas (Exclusive) Red Bull Racing driver Verstappen gave PEOPLE an exclusive look at his pre-race prep ahead of the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, where he was crowned world champ By Skyler Caruso Skyler Caruso Skyler Caruso is a Writer and Reporter of PEOPLE Digital Entertainment. She joined PEOPLE in 2021, but has eight years of experience working in digital publishing with a focus on entertainment and pop culture news. People Editorial Guidelines Published on November 24, 2024 06:49PM EST Comments Max Verstappen can't be stopped! Ahead of clinching his fourth world championship upon winning the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday, Nov. 24, the Red Bull Racing driver spoke with PEOPLE exclusively about his pre-race routine and what fuels him for success on the grid. With a record-breaking 24 races in the F1 schedule, this year held in 21 countries across five continents, varying time zones and jet lag are an obstacle pro drivers must factor into their prep prior to take off — in addition to their practices, mechanic meet-ups and race day responsibilities. For Verstappen, that means waking up at noon. "You go to bed like 4:00 a.m. or 5:00 a.m. just because of the time zone differences," the world champ, 27, told PEOPLE exclusively at the Red Bull Energy Station in Las Vegas a few hours before the start of the race. "But it's all right." No, F1 Star Sergio Pérez Does ‘Not Have Music’ Playing While He Races — but He Does Listen to This (Exclusive) F1 World Drivers Champion Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates with his team in the Paddock after the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas. Mark Thompson/Getty The Dutch-Belgian athlete, who made his F1 debut in 2015 at age 17, has his sleep schedule down pat, but combatting jet lag isn't the easiest. "It's a tough one," Verstappen admitted. "I mean, always for me, I struggle to sleep. Make sure that the room is very dark," he continued. "Communicate with friends or family a little bit and make sure that you push yourself to stay up, stuff like that." Sleep aside, food fuel is just as important to energize the athlete on race day (and yes, it involves more than just Red Bull energy drinks!). But when he gasses his vehicle to reach around 200+ mph mixed with hairpin turns as he races down the Las Vegas strip, his meal of choice is strategized. Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen drives on the track during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Clive Mason/Getty "Well before the race, it's quite boring," Verstappen says of what's on the menu before taking the wheel. "It's like chicken, rice, nothing too crazy that can upset your stomach," he explained, adding that he's "not at all" superstitious about any routine prior to racing. When asked how he planned on celebrating should he win the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Verstappen's answer appeared almost too chill for the star who'd go on to be crowned Formula 1 world champion for the fourth time. "I normally never really like to think about it too much and just let it go and see what happens," he said ahead of the race. Fast forward a few hours later, Verstappen was showered with champagne as his successes were celebrated with his team in the Red Bull Energy Station later that night. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Max Verstappen prepares to drive in the garage during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas. Mark Thompson/Getty While Verstappen doesn't necessarily like to think about wins and rather focus on the moment, Red Bull already has its sights set on a victorious future as it announced its new strategic partnership with Ford Performance for the 2026 Formula 1 season and beyond. The team up is, literally, an exhilarating one as Red Bull and the iconic American automobile manufacturer work to build the next-gen hybrid power unit, known formerly as Red Bull Ford Powertrains. The 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix was not only adrenaline-filled, but it was also star studded as the biggest names in pop culture came out for one of the biggest nights in professional racing. Brad Pitt, Jared Leto, Sylvester Stallone and Paris Hilton were among the celebs who were in attendance. Frankie Muniz Announces He's Becoming a Full-Time Driver in the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (Exclusive) The Oracle Red Bull Racing team celebrate after Max Verstappen of the Netherlands is crowned 2024 F1 World Drivers Champion after the F1 Grand Prix in Las Vegas. Mark Thompson/Getty Prior to the start of the race, Frankie Muniz teamed up with Ford Performance and Pirelli for hot laps on the circuit across the famed Las Vegas Strip. The actor began racing in 2004, started his pro career in 2006 and is taking it full-time in the 2025 season of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Seth Rogan, Mr. Beast, Winnie Harlow and Terry Crews also geared up for a hot lap, while Alex Rodriguez, Gordon Ramsay and more stars took a pit lane walk before the race. Adele and Paul Wesley, meanwhile, were among the celebs who posed for photos with the F1 team garages. Back in the Red Bull Energy Station, chart-topping DJs took the stage to provide the sounds of the night. Zedd brought the energy on Friday night, while Deadmau5 hit the booth on Saturday before and after Verstappen's win, backed with fireworks to close out the victory in Vegas.