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Amid all hype around the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Lando Norris is keeping a calm demeanor about his chances of securing his maiden world title.

Norris presently has a two-dozen point advantage over teammate 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 recovery from 34 points behind Piastri following the Zandvoort race in August, Norris is concentrating on executing with the clinical precision that propelled him to the top of the standings.

"It can quickly go the opposite way once more even though I don't want it to," he commented. "That's racing, as we all know. You can also have luck. Other times you also be unfortunate. Whatever it may be. There's really not worth becoming overjoyed or dwelling on it. I still do see it as a goal that remains distant."

The 26-year-old has discovered his peak performance at a crucial juncture—having struggled with the car in the first part of the season—at the same time that Piastri has shed the controlled, almost flawless composure that had for so long made him seem to be a champion in waiting. Importantly, Norris kept a impressive level of equanimity all along, insisting even in the face of setbacks—such as his withdrawal from the Zandvoort race—that he would stick to his gameplan and approach every outing with the same unwavering attention to detail. This approach has yielded results.

Meanwhile, the team have worked hard to attempt to maintain a fair competition for their two drivers, and it has on occasion been a rather torturous experience, especially at Monza when the team instructed the Australian to cede second place to his teammate following he had lost the spot because of a slow pit stop. Certain spectators did not take well to what was seen as McLaren needlessly interfering with their drivers.

The championship leader has claimed victory in the last two races, in Mexico City and Brazil, and was jeered on the winner's rostrum at both, yet he remained unmoved. "Once you are on top, a lot of individuals want to bring you down. They don't want to see you succeeding. I consider it a positive sign," he said.

"It amuses me. When I was on the winner's stage in Brazil, I truly loved it. It was quite satisfying. You finally sense that you're doing something right.

"I don't mind, provided that I win. As long as I feel like I'm doing it the right manner, which I feel like that's the case, so long as I am confident I am dedicating effort into remaining true to myself and similar principles, then I am not concerned with the rest of it."

Vegas, on the other hand, must be conquered, and it is not a track ideal for the McLaren. The layout has similarities with Montreal and Azerbaijan: low downforce, cool temperatures, and low grip. These are the sole pair of circuits this season where McLaren have been unable to secure at least one top-three finish, and the leader was circumspect once more about their chances in Nevada. Yet, his objective in the short term is simple: end the race in front of Piastri and the points he needs will come.

Practice Shows Mixed Outcomes for Title Contenders

The Ferrari driver topped the leaderboard in FP1 on what was still a sandy and extremely low-grip surface. Alex Albon was runner-up, with the Red Bull star in fourth, the McLaren ace in P6, and Piastri eighth. During the more indicative night running of second practice, the Briton was fastest from the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli, with Piastri down in fourteenth; however, the session was interrupted for almost all of the final 20 minutes of running to inspect a reported loose drain cover at turn 17.

The issue is taken seriously on a street circuit where, at the inaugural Nevada GP staged in 2023, a dislodged manhole smashed into the Ferrari, heavily damaging it and leading to the session to be ended.

The German Team Announce Stake Sale

The eight-time constructors' champions have revealed that their boss the Austrian executive has sold a 15% stake in his investment firm, equating to a five percent ownership in the squad, to American billionaire the cybersecurity magnate. The investor is the CEO and founder of the digital protection firm the tech giant. Wolff will stay on as team principal and may receive as much as £230 million from the sale, with the Brackley-based outfit having been appraised at £4.57bn, a record for an Formula 1 constructor.