McLaren is trying to defend its lead, but Red Bull remains fully committed to the championship fight: both teams bring new aerodynamic upgrades to the Las Vegas Grand Prix. With only three races remaining in the 2025 season, these developments could prove decisive in the fight for the Drivers’ Championship. McLaren appears to hold a slight advantage over Max Verstappen, currently third in the standings, yet the team cannot afford to lower its guard. Red Bull began its championship chase mid-season and continues to push the development of the RB21, despite the season nearing its conclusion. The updates introduced in Las Vegas are specifically tailored to the ultra-fast city circuit, and inside Red Bull, it seems that meticulous fine-tuning has been carried out—a clear sign that the team still believes in a championship comeback.
Unique challenges of the Las Vegas circuit
The Nevada circuit features a distinctive layout and unusual conditions: the race is held at night, and temperatures are significantly lower than the typical F1 season. It is challenging to bring the tyres up to optimal operating temperature, while the car bodywork can be more tightly packaged to benefit aerodynamics, as overheating of the power unit is less of an issue. The track combines long straights with slow corners, making the search for the perfect balance crucial. In particular, the long main straight along the Las Vegas Strip forces teams to run extremely low-downforce configurations, similar to those used at Monza.
Red Bull
Red Bull arrives in Las Vegas with a revised front wing, different from the one used at Monza, modified and further unloaded for the city track. The third and fourth elements now feature a substantial reduction in chord, with the last flap additionally revised.
To balance the setup, the team reintroduces the very low-downforce rear wing previously used at Monza. Comparison work continues on both cars: Max Verstappen ran with the old floor, while Yuki Tsunoda tested the new one.
McLaren
McLaren brings the low-downforce Monza front wing, further trimmed in the fourth element to reduce aerodynamic drag even more. At the rear, the Monza wing is also used, but for Las Vegas, the DRS flap has been refined both at the leading and trailing edges to further unload the wing and increase top speed.
The championship battle intensifies
It is therefore an open battle between the two title contenders, who are focusing their efforts on their current cars despite the looming technical revolution of 2026. Free practice sessions have been somewhat inconclusive, and the remainder of the weekend will be crucial to complete the picture. For now, it seems both teams have the potential to fight on equal terms in Las Vegas.
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