Norris eyes big step towards maiden world title as F1 drivers wary of wet start to Vegas weekend

Lando Norris arrives in Las Vegas this week full of confidence after back-to-back wins and in control of the Formula One world championship race as he eyes a maiden title.

The Briton boasts a 24-point lead in the drivers’ standings over McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri heading into Sunday’s race after a remarkable turnaround in form.

Australian Piastri, who was 34 points clear after winning the Dutch Grand Prix on Aug.31, has failed to even post a podium finish in the past five races.

Norris has found consistency at the right time, following up his victory from pole position in Mexico with a sprint success and another race win from the front of the grid in Sao Paulo last time out.

No one has failed to convert as big a lead as Norris currently holds with three races left in a season since the points-scoring system was changed in 2010.

But the 26-year-old is not taking anything for granted yet.

“They’re just strong results, which is exactly what I need, exactly what I’m fighting for every single weekend and every day,” he said in Brazil.

“So just very pleased, but it’s still a long way to go. So no point getting too happy or excited just yet.”

Norris cannot secure the world championship crown this weekend but he could end the title defence of Max Verstappen.

The four-time defending champion charged back into contention but is now 49 points adrift despite a thrilling drive to finish third two weeks ago, having started the race from the pit-lane.

Verstappen is unlikely to go down without a fight, but a Norris win would officially end his hopes if he finishes third or lower in Vegas.

“We’ve got to be realistic. Over the whole season, we’ve not been good enough, but we will keep on trying to win races and see what happens,” said the Dutchman.

Piastri has little margin for error: Piastri still poses the biggest threat to Norris’ bid to become Britain’s 11th F1 world champion.

He showed signs of rediscovering his pace in Sao Paulo but was ultimately undone by a controversial 10-second penalty.

Even Charles Leclerc, who was forced to retire due to the incident in question, expressed sympathy for Piastri who ended the race in fifth place when at least a podium had been on the cards.

Piastri, who like Norris has seven wins this season, still has time to catch his teammate but needs to make inroads quickly.

After Vegas, only race weeks in Doha, where there is also a sprint, and Abu Dhabi remain.

“I’ll just try to get the most out of it as I can,” said Piastri.

“I’m just trying to get on top of things with that and try and have the best weekends we can.”

Ferrari endured a disastrous race at Interlagos as both Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton failed to finish.

Hamilton described the weekend as a “nightmare” before Ferrari president John Elkann told his drivers to focus on driving, not talking.

Ferrari are still in the hunt to finish second in the constructors’ standings but need a big week in Vegas.

Mercedes are 36 points clear of fourth-placed Ferrari, with Red Bull four points closer.

The Silver Arrows will be confident of stretching their advantage in that mini-battle, though, after notching a one-two in ‘Sin City’ last year courtesy of George Russell and Hamilton.

Meanwhile, McLaren’s Norris and other top drivers braced for a cold and wet start to the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend but hoped for better weather on race night. Forecasts predicted a high likelihood of rainfall in the Nevada city on Friday after storms, flash floods and lightning on Thursday.

“From what I’m aware of, I think it’s just going to rain on Thursday and a bit into Friday for maybe FP3 (final practice),” Norris told reporters on a chilly media day.

“I think it will be an incredibly difficult track in the rain. Yeah, pretty nasty. It’s going to be a hell of a challenge. Obviously not a lot of room for error,” added the Briton, who leads Australian teammate Oscar Piastri by 24 points with three rounds remaining.

Agencies