By Alan Baldwin
(Reuters) -Even if he cannot win the Formula One title in Las Vegas this weekend, McLaren’s Lando Norris could end Max Verstappen’s reign on the same floodlit Strip where the Red Bull driver celebrated a fourth successive crown last year.
If Verstappen falls too far behind the Briton after the Saturday night spectacular then McLaren, already constructors’ champions for a second year in a row, will be assured of both titles in the same season for the first time since 1998.
The Dutch driver is third overall and 49 points adrift of championship leader Norris, who makes his career 150th race start on Saturday, with 58 remaining to be won in the last two rounds after Las Vegas.
Norris needs to stretch his lead over Verstappen by nine points to ensure the final races of the triple header — Qatar and Abu Dhabi — become a straight title duel between him and second-placed teammate Oscar Piastri, who is 24 points behind.
Australian Piastri could equally take back the overall lead if he wins and Norris fails to score.
VEGAS COULD BE A BIG CHALLENGE FOR MCLAREN
The only problem is McLaren do not expect it to be one of their stronger races, with Mercedes and Ferrari likely in the mix as well as Red Bull.
“I think it was our worst race last year,” Norris said, of a track with low grip and possibly the coldest temperatures of the season, after winning in Brazil this month.
“Mercedes were incredibly strong there last year, as well as Red Bull and Ferrari. I think we were the bottom of those four. So we’ll wait and see.
“Obviously we’ve improved a lot of things this year, so I’m not going to be too negative about it.”
McLaren have won 14 of 21 so far and Norris is chasing his third win in a row, after Mexico and Brazil. He has now beaten his Australian teammate in the last six races.
Another win would be a huge step towards a first title for the 26-year-old but Verstappen showed, in coming from the pitlane to third at Interlagos, that you dismiss him at your peril.
“We will try and perform as best we can and keep pushing as we have nothing to lose,” said Verstappen, winner in 2023.
“Vegas is a fast circuit, there is low downforce and temperatures look pretty low this week so we will need to be managing our tyres well.”
Norris knows what to expect: “Max will be a threat because he always is,” he said after Interlagos. “He’s always there, he’s always fighting and I’m sure he’ll fight to the end.”
Last year’s winner George Russell has a milestone of his own to celebrate, like Norris making his 150th start, while rookie Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli is fresh from his best result yet of second in Brazil.
Mercedes are second overall but still battling Ferrari and Red Bull for the runner-up slot and taking nothing for granted.
Ferrari have something to prove after a grim double retirement in Brazil led to the Italian team’s chairman John Elkann suggesting drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton should talk less and focus on driving.
“Over the past few events we have showed good speed and have been able to fight at the front. We will aim to repeat it this weekend,” said team boss Fred Vasseur.
One title that will be decided this weekend is the all-female F1 Academy, with Ferrari’s Maya Weug and Mercedes’ championship leader Doriane Pin fighting for supremacy in the final round on Saturday. Frenchwoman Pin is nine points clear of her Dutch rival.
(Reporting by Alan BaldwinEditing by Christian Radnedge)
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