Las Vegas Grand Prix: 3 Key Storylines As F1 Returns To The Strip

Formula 1 returns to the bright lights of fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada, for the first of the final triple-header of races this season as Lando Norris aims to take another step towards a maiden drivers' crown.

The McLaren driver has dominated the past two weekends in Mexico and Brazil and now holds a 34-point advantage over teammate Oscar Piastri, who failed to arrest his slump in form at Interlagos.

Max Verstappen remains mathematically in the hunt for a fifth title, but realistically needs help from the McLaren duo in the form of an incident or mechanical failure.

So what are the key storylines at this weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix?

Does Piastri face a must-win weekend?

The short answer is yes.

Just three races and a sprint left, including this weekend's event, means Piastri faces the same deficit that Norris had after the Dutch Grand Prix, when many had suggested it was the Australian's to lose from that position.

So logically, with a lack of time left in the campaign, this is a critical weekend for Piastri off the back of more pain in Brazil. A crash in the sprint cost him valuable points, as did a somewhat controversial penalty for a collision with Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli in the grand prix.

A win in Vegas with Norris second will take the gap down to 27 points with just 58 available, but it's the least he can hope for. Finishing behind the Briton would leave a proverbial mountain to climb, one that may not be scalable.

Can Mercedes play spoiler?

Piastri's weekend could well be spoiled by Norris and Mercedes, given the Silver Arrows have excelled in the two years the Strip has held a race, including George Russell's dominant win from pole position last year.

Then Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton followed his compatriot home to secure a 1-2 finish, with the typically cooler conditions in Paradise suiting the German manufacturer's car.

F1 is coming to town! 💨✨

Cold, bumpy and technical! George, Kimi and @PET_Motorsports preview the #LasVegasGP 💚 pic.twitter.com/xqkser5tG7
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) November 19, 2025

That should be the case again off the back of Russell's win in Canada earlier in the season, where Antonelli claimed a first podium in the championship, and give McLaren a headache at the front of affairs.

There's nothing to suggest Verstappen and Red Bull can't join in either, given his strong raceday in Brazil, but Ferrari is harder to read given its fluctuation in form since the summer break.

Don't be surprised to see Charles Leclerc or Hamilton in the mix come the end of the weekend, even if logic suggests the Scuderia could be down the top 10.

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How will weather change the order?

Charles Leclerc, Vegas 2024, Sphere — Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc

Heavy rain has been the talk of Las Vegas in the week leading up to the race, and there is a chance of precipitation involving itself this weekend as well.

That would be a new challenge for teams to deal with on an already low-grip track surface, another headache for McLaren and Norris to contend with.

There's a 40% chance of rain on Thursday and Friday for practice and qualifying, which could lead to a mixed-up grid, and, with no rain forecast for Saturday's grand prix, a lack of dry-running data could lead to a thrilling race.

More on the Las Vegas Grand Prix weather forecast.

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