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Despite the hype surrounding the Las Vegas Grand Prix, McLaren's lead driver is keeping a calm demeanor regarding his chances of securing his first world title.

The British driver presently has a 24-point advantage over teammate Oscar Piastri and is ahead of Max Verstappen by 49 points, with just a maximum of eighty-three points available across the final three events. However, after pulling off a remarkable recovery from 34 points behind his teammate after the Dutch Grand Prix in the summer, Norris is concentrating on performing with the methodical approach that lifted him to the top of the standings.

"It can quickly turn the opposite way once more even though I hope it doesn't," he stated. "That's racing, you know. You can get lucky. You can end up unlucky. Whatever it may be. It's no point getting excited or dwelling on it. I still view it as something that's quite distant."

The 26-year-old has found his peak performance at a crucial moment—having struggled with the vehicle in the opening half of the season—while his teammate has shed the disciplined, nearly perfect ease that previously made him appear to be a future title winner. Importantly, Norris kept a remarkable level of equanimity throughout, insisting even in the face of challenges—like his retirement from the Dutch GP—that he would adhere to his gameplan and approach every outing with the same unwavering attention to detail. It has paid off.

Meanwhile, McLaren have gone to no little effort to attempt to maintain a level playing field for their two drivers, and it has at times been a rather torturous process, most notably at Monza when the squad instructed Piastri to cede the runner-up spot to Norris following he had lost the spot because of a delayed tire change. Some fans did not take well to what was seen as the team needlessly interfering with their competitors.

Norris has won the last two grands prix, in Mexico City and São Paulo, and was jeered on the podium at each, yet he remained unfazed. "When you're on top, a lot of people want to bring you down. They do not like seeing you succeeding. I see it as a positive sign," he said.

"It makes me laugh. When I was on the podium in Interlagos, I truly loved it. The experience was quite satisfying. At last you sense that you're doing success.

"It doesn't bother me, as long as I come out on top. As long as I believe I'm doing it the right manner, and I think that's the case, as long as I am confident I am dedicating effort into remaining true to myself and similar principles, then I am not concerned about the rest of it."

Las Vegas, meanwhile, must be mastered, and it is a circuit ideal for the McLaren. The layout has characteristics with Montreal and Azerbaijan: minimal aerodynamic grip, cool temperatures, and slippery surfaces. These are the only two circuits this season where the papaya squad have been unable to secure a single podium place, and Norris was circumspect once more about their chances in Nevada. Still, his objective in the short term is straightforward: end the race in ahead of Piastri and the championship tally he needs will follow.

Practice Sees Mixed Outcomes for Championship Contenders

Charles Leclerc led the leaderboard in first practice on what was remained a dusty and very low-grip track. Alex Albon was second, with the Red Bull star fourth, the McLaren ace sixth, and the Australian in eighth. During the more indicative evening session of FP2, the Briton was fastest ahead of the Silver Arrows of the Italian rookie, with his teammate down in fourteenth; though, the practice was interrupted for almost all of the final 20 minutes of running to check a reported loose drain cover at the penultimate corner.

This problem is treated with caution on a street circuit where, at the first Nevada GP held in 2023, a loose manhole smashed into the Ferrari, severely damaging it and causing the practice to be ended.

Mercedes Confirm Stake Sale

Mercedes have revealed that their boss the Austrian executive has divested a fifteen percent share in his investment firm, equating to a five percent ownership in the team, to US tycoon George Kurtz. The investor is the chief executive and creator of the digital protection firm the tech giant. The team principal will remain as team principal and may receive up to £230m from the sale, with Mercedes having been valued at £4.57 billion, a new high for an F1 team.