Norris Tops Timesheets in Truncated Las Vegas Practice
McLaren's Lando Norris set the pace during a shortened second practice session for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, a surprising result given the circuit's characteristics are not considered ideal for his car. The session was red-flagged and lost nearly all of its final 20 minutes due to a safety check on a reported loose manhole cover at turn 17, a serious concern on a street circuit where a similar incident with a drain cover severely damaged a Ferrari in 2023.
Title Within Grasp, But Norris Refuses to Get Carried Away
Despite holding a 24-point lead over teammate Oscar Piastri and a 49-point advantage over Max Verstappen with just three races remaining, Norris is adamant that the championship remains a distant prospect. The British driver, who has mounted an extraordinary comeback from 34 points behind Piastri after the Dutch Grand Prix, is staying grounded.
"It can easily just go the opposite way again as much as I don’t want it to," Norris stated. "That’s racing. You can also have luck. You can also be unlucky. There’s really no point getting excited or thinking about it. I still do see it as something that’s quite distant."
Unfazed by Boos and Focused on the Final Races
Norris's recent dominant form has seen him win the last two races in Mexico and Brazil, but his success has been met with some boos from sections of the crowd. The 26-year-old remains completely unmoved by the negative reaction, even finding it amusing.
"When you’re on top, a lot of people want to bring you down. They don’t want to see you winning. I see it as a good thing," he explained. "When I was on the podium in Brazil, I really loved it. It was quite enjoyable. You finally feel like you’re doing something right. I don’t mind, as long as I win."
His immediate task in Las Vegas is complicated by a track that shares low-downforce traits with circuits in Canada and Baku, the only two venues this year where McLaren have failed to secure a podium finish. In the more representative night practice, Norris was quickest, with Piastri down in 14th place.
In other news from the paddock, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has sold a 5% stake in the F1 team to American billionaire George Kurtz, CEO of CrowdStrike, in a deal that values the team at a record £4.57 billion.
