F1 News: Lando Norris's Verdict On Las Vegas GP Adds More Uncertainty To Championship Battle

Saajan Jogia | 6 Hours Ago

Nov 20, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; McLaren driver Lando Norris (4) during media availabilities at Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

McLaren driver Lando Norris' verdict on the grip levels of the Las Vegas Street Circuit after the first two free practice sessions adds more uncertainty to his 2024 championship battle against Max Verstappen. Despite being second fastest in FP2, Norris said the "super low grip" track made him feel like he could drive a road car faster around the street circuit.

Most drivers on the grid faced significant challenges with grip levels, compounded by the combination of low temperatures and a dusty track surface. These tricky conditions resulted in frequent lockups under braking, with Norris among those affected.

The Briton trails Verstappen by 62 points, but for the Dutchman to win his fourth title, he would be required to end the Las Vegas GP weekend with a 60-point advantage over Norris. However, Verstappen also suffered immensely on Friday due to a lack of grip, finishing 5th in FP1 and 17th in FP2. Adding to Red Bull's challenges is the fact that the outfit failed to bring the street-race-friendly, low-downforce rear wing to the Strip, adding to the overall uncertainty.

While that could be advantageous for Norris, he has other issues to deal with on his MCL38, such as the pace under high fuel load. He explained:

“I think the low-fuel stuff has been okay, the high-fuel, I was shocking.

“There are plenty of things to look into, these kind of combinations of things and what we struggle with, with different graining and stuff.

“I'm just not very good at it, it’s always a bit of a struggle for me. But [I have] a good amount of time to work on it. 

“At least I can focus more on the high fuel than low fuel for now, but qualifying at the front will always help everything else.”

When asked about the chances of improved track conditions over the weekend, Norris said:

“I hope so - they probably won't.

“It’s just very difficult, super low grip, I feel like I could drive a road car quicker than we drive at the minute.

“I don't know, mixed feelings.”

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton demonstrated exceptional confidence on track, securing the fastest time in both practice sessions. His teammate George Russell showed strong form as well, finishing second in FP1 and third in FP2.

Norris, however, managed to split the Mercedes drivers in the second session, indicating that McLaren could also be a serious contender this weekend. This sets up a potential showdown between Mercedes and its customer team McLaren for the weekend's top honors unless major setup changes by any of the leading teams significantly alter the current order observed in free practice.