McLaren’s Lando Norris takes 24-point World Drivers’ Championship lead into Las Vegas Grand Prix

The GIST: The spectacle of Formula 1 meets Las Vegas, a city synonymous with high-stakes thrills, this weekend. It’s the first stop on the season-ending tripleheader — and drivers need to go all in because what happens in Vegas could decide the World Drivers’ Championship (WDC).

💸 F1’s bet on Vegas pays out: In 2023, the sport returned to Sin City for the first time in four decades — and it was a logistical nightmare. Now in its third iteration, the largest (and most lucrative) event in Vegas has made some fan-approved tweaks: The cost to attend is down 66% from 2023, and Saturday’s main event will now start at 11 p.m. ET instead of 1 a.m. ET.

• But not everything can be planned for: It’s been cold and rainy in Vegas this week, making the already-tricky street circuit even more challenging for drivers to navigate at speeds of up to 215 mph (346 km/h).

🌶️ McLaren’s Lando Norris boasts 24-point lead in WDC fight: Mathematically, it’s a three-car WDC race between Norris, his teammate Oscar Piastri, and four-time defending champ, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen — but Verstappen’s nearly two race wins (aka 50 points) behind. That means the individual title is almost certainly turning papaya orange …barring an incredible plot twist.

• Enter: The Vegas track, where McLaren has infamously struggled the last two years. Norris and Piastri finished sixth and seventh, respectively, in 2024, more than 40 seconds off the pace. All to say, it’s not over ’til the checkered flag waves.

• And that’s not the only hotly-contested championship battle hitting the Vegas street circuit. F1 Academy returns for its final weekend with Mercedes’ Doriane Pin and Ferrari’s Maya Weug separated by a mere nine points. Spicy.