Is Mercedes the favorite once more?
Mercedes dominated the 2024 working of the Las Vegas GP, with George Russell main just about the entire race from pole place whereas team-mate Lewis Hamilton recovered from tenth to provide the workforce a one-two.
Nevertheless, workforce boss Toto Wolff believes one can not convincingly count on the W16 to duplicate this type given how completely different it’s to its predecessor. “I doubt it,” he went so far as saying.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Picture by: Mark Sutton / Components 1 through Getty Photographs
Will McLaren get a primary Vegas podium?
This may sound shocking, however McLaren has by no means completed a race on the rostrum on the fashionable Las Vegas monitor (John Watson did take second place at Caesars Palace in 1982).
The workforce had a uncommon down on its upward trajectory in 2023 with each vehicles out in Q1 and Oscar Piastri scoring a solitary level; final yr, on its option to the world constructors’ title, each vehicles certified and completed exterior the highest 5, led by the Mercedes, Ferraris and Max Verstappen’s Pink Bull below the chequered flag.
McLaren had badly suffered from the graining, however tyres don’t grain as a lot this yr, which supplies workforce principal Andrea Stella cautious optimism, particularly because the workforce hopes to have improved its track-specific set-up – however Lando Norris stays unapologetically cautious of what’s going to occur this weekend.
Lando Norris, McLaren
Picture by: Pauline Ballet / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs
Will Verstappen preserve his title bid alive?
Verstappen has a not-insignificant likelihood to be dominated out of the title struggle within the Las Vegas GP.
For this to occur, his deficit to Norris would want to extend from 49 to 58 factors. In different phrases, it could require the Briton to complete within the prime 5 and the Dutchman to have a shocker, or the McLaren driver to win and the Pink Bull racer to complete no larger than third, amongst different permutations.
Norris has by no means completed forward of Verstappen in Vegas, however has outscored him by this margin on seven events in 2025: it occurred in Monaco (25 factors to 12), Spain (18-1), Austria (25-0), Britain (25-10), Hungary (25-2), Mexico (25-15) and Brazil (25-15).
In different phrases, solely as soon as did Norris rating a minimum of 9 extra factors with out successful – and that was when Verstappen misplaced his composure and drove into Russell at Barcelona.
Lando Norris, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing
Picture by: Clive Mason / Getty Photographs
How will Leclerc and Hamilton reply to Elkann’s criticism?
“We’ve drivers who must give attention to driving and speak much less.”
Ferrari president John Elkann’s criticism of Charles Leclerc and Hamilton following a poor Brazilian Grand Prix – and amid a up to now winless season – got here as a bombshell.
Elkann praised the Scuderia’s mechanics and engineers, strongly implying that drivers are the workforce’s key drawback after it dropped from second to fourth within the constructors’ championship in Sao Paulo, with the runner-up spot now elusive.
Let’s see how the drivers take it. Golden boy Leclerc has been Ferrari’s driving power this season, and he normally refrains from participating in any media speak that is likely to be detrimental to the workforce – however will he this time?
Hamilton has been struggling however insists he’s working as exhausting as ever to get to his team-mate’s stage. The seven-time world champion is conscious he must step it up, however equally might not recognize Elkann’s feedback.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Picture by: Mark Thompson / Getty Photographs
How chilly will it get within the Nevadan desert?
Temperatures are forecast to be barely under seasonal norms, with 10C and potential showers totally free apply on Thursday evening, 8C for qualifying on Friday evening, and 11C in the course of the race on Saturday evening (Sunday morning in Europe). This might be considerably cooler than the primary two runnings of the race, which happened round 16-17C.
This can be a bit cool for the Pirelli rubber to carry out optimally, however doubtless not chilly sufficient for it to be a major challenge.
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