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

Norris currently holds a 24-point advantage over fellow McLaren driver Oscar Piastri and is ahead of Max Verstappen by 49 points, with just a maximum of 83 points up for grabs across the remaining trio of races. But, after pulling off a remarkable comeback from a significant deficit Piastri after the Dutch Grand Prix in August, Norris is concentrating on executing with the methodical approach that propelled him to the lead of the standings.

"Things can easily turn in the other direction again as much as I don't want it to," he stated. "That's racing, you know. Sometimes you also have luck. Other times you also be unfortunate. Whatever it may be. There's really not worth getting excited or dwelling on it. I continue to do see it as something that remains far away."

Norris has found his peak performance at a crucial juncture—having struggled with the vehicle in the opening half of the season—at the same time that Piastri has shed the controlled, almost flawless composure that previously made him appear to be a future title winner. Importantly, Norris kept a impressive level of equanimity all along, insisting despite challenges—like his retirement from the Dutch GP—that he would stick to his strategy and work every outing with the identical unwavering attention to detail. It has yielded results.

Meanwhile, the team have gone to no little effort to try to maintain a level playing field for their pair of racers, and it has at times been a rather torturous experience, especially at the Italian Grand Prix when the squad instructed Piastri to surrender the runner-up spot to Norris following he had fallen behind due to a slow pit stop. Certain spectators did not take well to what was seen as McLaren unnecessarily manipulating their competitors.

Norris has claimed victory in the previous pair of races, in Mexico City and Brazil, and was jeered on the podium at both, leaving him unmoved. "When you're leading, many individuals want to undermine you. They don't want to see you succeeding. I consider it a positive sign," he said.

"It just makes me laugh. When I was on the winner's stage in Interlagos, I truly loved it. It was quite enjoyable. At last you sense that you're doing success.

"It doesn't bother me, provided that I come out on top. If I feel like I'm doing it the right way, which I feel like I am, as long as I am confident I am dedicating effort into remaining true to myself and similar principles, then I'm not too fussed about the rest of it."

Las Vegas, on the other hand, needs to be conquered, and it is a circuit ideal for the British team. The layout has similarities with Canada and Baku: low downforce, cool temperatures, and low grip. They are the sole pair of tracks this season where the papaya squad have failed to secure a single top-three finish, and Norris was circumspect once more about their prospects this weekend. Still, his objective in the short term is simple: end the race in front of Piastri and the points he requires will come.

Practice Shows Mixed Outcomes for Championship Rivals

The Ferrari driver led the times in FP1 on what was still a sandy and extremely slippery track. The Williams racer was runner-up, with the Red Bull star fourth, the McLaren ace sixth, and Piastri in eighth. During the more indicative evening session of second practice, the Briton was quickest ahead of the Silver Arrows of Kimi Antonelli, with his teammate 14th; however, the session was interrupted for almost all of the final 20 minutes of running to check a reported loose manhole cover at turn 17.

The issue is treated with caution on a street circuit where, at the first Las Vegas GP staged in 2023, a loose manhole struck the Ferrari, heavily harming it and leading to the session to be ended.

Mercedes Confirm Ownership Transaction

Mercedes have revealed that their team principal Toto Wolff has sold a 15% stake in his holding company, equating to a 5% share in the team, to US tycoon the cybersecurity magnate. Kurtz is the CEO and founder of the cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. Wolff will remain as boss and could earn up to £230m from the deal, with Mercedes having been appraised at £4.57 billion, a record for an F1 team.