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Amid all excitement surrounding the Las Vegas Grand Prix, McLaren's lead driver is maintaining a calm demeanor about his prospects of claiming his maiden world title.

The British driver presently holds a two-dozen point advantage over teammate Oscar Piastri and is ahead of Max Verstappen by nearly fifty points, with just up to 83 points available across the final three events. However, after pulling off a remarkable recovery from a significant deficit his teammate after the Zandvoort race in August, Norris is concentrating on performing with the methodical approach that propelled him to the top of the standings.

"Things can quickly turn the opposite way once more even though I hope it doesn't," he commented. "That's motorsport, as we all know. Sometimes you also have luck. Other times you also be unlucky. No matter what happens. It's not worth becoming overjoyed or dwelling on it. I continue to view it as a goal that's quite far away."

Norris has found his peak performance at a critical juncture—having struggled with the car in the opening half of the season—at the same time that his teammate has lost the controlled, almost perfect ease that previously made him appear to be a champion in waiting. Notably, Norris maintained a impressive level of equanimity throughout, insisting despite challenges—like his retirement from the Zandvoort race—that he would stick to his gameplan and work every outing with the same unwavering focus on specifics. This approach has paid off.

Meanwhile, McLaren have worked hard to try to preserve a level playing field for their two drivers, and it has at times been a rather difficult process, most notably at the Italian Grand Prix when the team instructed Piastri to cede second place to Norris following he had fallen behind because of a delayed tire change. Certain spectators did not take well to what was seen as McLaren needlessly interfering with their competitors.

Norris has claimed victory in the last two races, in Mexico City and São Paulo, and was booed on the podium at each, leaving him unmoved. "Once you are on top, a lot of people try to undermine you. They do not like seeing you winning. I see it as a good thing," he remarked.

"It amuses me. While standing on the podium in Interlagos, I really loved it. It was very satisfying. You finally sense that you're doing something right.

"It doesn't bother me, as long as I come out on top. As long as I feel like I'm doing it the correct way, which I feel like I am, so long as I am confident I am dedicating effort into being who I am and those kinds of things, then I'm not too fussed with the rest of it."

Vegas, on the other hand, needs to be mastered, and it is not a track suited to the British team. The layout has similarities with Montreal and Baku: low downforce, chilly conditions, and slippery surfaces. These are the only two tracks in the current championship where the papaya squad have failed to claim at least one top-three finish, and the leader was cautious once more about their prospects this weekend. Still, his task in the short term is simple: finish in ahead of his teammate and the championship tally he needs will follow.

Practice Shows Mixed Results for Championship Rivals

The Ferrari driver led the times in FP1 on what was remained a dusty and very low-grip track. Alex Albon was runner-up, with the Red Bull star fourth, Norris in P6, and the Australian eighth. During the more indicative evening session of FP2, Norris was quickest from the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli, with Piastri down in fourteenth; though, the practice lost almost all of the last third of running to inspect a reported loose manhole cover at the penultimate corner.

The issue is treated with caution on a street circuit where, at the inaugural Las Vegas GP staged in 2023, a loose manhole smashed into Carlos Sainz's Ferrari, heavily harming it and causing the session to be ended.

The German Team Confirm Stake Sale

Mercedes have revealed that their team principal the Austrian executive has sold a 15% stake in his holding company, representing a 5% share in the squad, to US tycoon George Kurtz. Kurtz is the CEO and founder of the digital protection firm CrowdStrike. Wolff will remain as boss and could earn up to £230m from the deal, with Mercedes having been appraised at £4.57bn, a new high for an Formula 1 constructor.