Which drivers have what it takes to approach the third-to-last round of the season in the best possible way, a race that could prove decisive in awarding the Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship?
The Formula 1 championship battle is now more heated than ever. With only three Grands Prix remaining and a sprint race still to be contested, the number of points left on the table is just 83. Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen can no longer afford any mistakes. By contrast, Lando Norris still has a small margin that allows him to survive an occasional misstep. The Las Vegas Grand Prix therefore becomes a crucial event that will heavily influence how the remaining title contenders will approach the penultimate race weekend in Qatar.
In the two previous editions, the American street circuit has delivered spectacular racing. In 2023, fans still remember Charles Leclerc’s stunning last-lap overtake on Sergio Perez for second place, while in 2024 Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive World Drivers’ Championship right here in Las Vegas.
The three main protagonists: Max, Oscar and Lando
The favourite among the three leading contenders is undoubtedly Max Verstappen. The reasons lie both in his strong performances at the previous two Las Vegas events and in a key technical characteristic of his Red Bull. The RB21, with the Dutchman at the wheel, has been extremely competitive on low-downforce circuits such as Monza and Austin. And in Las Vegas, running a low-downforce setup is one of the most decisive factors for being competitive. The points deficit to championship leader Lando Norris remains huge — 49 points, to be exact — but Max has accustomed fans to comebacks that seemed nearly impossible.
Just like the Dutchman, Oscar Piastri can no longer afford any slip-ups if he wants to close the gap to Lando, currently standing at 24 points. After serious mistakes in Baku, Mexico and Brazil, the Australian now finds himself in the role of the hunter rather than the hunted. In previous years in the city famous for its casinos, Oscar Piastri never truly impressed, partly due to track conditions that have historically not suited McLaren. Coming into Las Vegas after a difficult run of races compared to his teammate, the Australian faces a particularly challenging task.
Without question, Lando Norris is in the most favourable position of the three drivers fighting for the title. His recent performances have been nothing short of brilliant, and he now has the championship firmly within his grasp. Nevertheless, the papaya-coloured driver has already warned that the next race could be tricky, highlighting how poorly his car has performed on the Strip in the last two editions compared to rivals like Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes.
The possible outsiders of the race weekend
The team that could truly deliver a strong performance in Las Vegas is Mercedes, first and foremost, followed by Ferrari. Both teams have been very competitive in previous years, with the Mercedes dominance in 2024 standing out — an advantage driven by the air and track temperatures, which are expected to play a decisive role once again this year. As a result, Charles Leclerc and George Russell — more so than Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton — are expected to be firmly in the fight for the podium. Their presence at the sharp end of the field could certainly complicate matters for both Max Verstappen and the two McLaren drivers. Every point counts, and nothing can be taken for granted.
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