Formula 1: Las Vegas Grand Prix – Copybet
The 2025 Formula 1 season returns to the United States this weekend for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which is the first of a triple-header to finish the campaign.
After claiming glory in both the sprint and main race in Sao Paulo last time out, Lando Norris leads the way in the drivers’ championship standings.
He still has work to do to get his hands on the title and it promises to be a fascinating 50-lap race in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Las Vegas Grand Prix
Norris cruised to another fantastic win in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, leaving the 26-year-old 24 points ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri with just three race weekends remaining, while Max Verstappen’s chances of retaining the World Drivers’ Championship hang by a thread as he heads to Sin City with a 49-point deficit to overturn.
The Dutchman’s blistering race pace after starting from the pit lane in Brazil leaves him as the favourite to take the top step of the podium in Las Vegas, though, and he will need a strong showing to keep his championship hopes alive.
But Norris has risen to the pressure of his championship battle, producing back-to-back flawless race weekends to extend his lead.
He took pole position and the Grand Prix win in both Mexico City and Sao Paulo, adding a Sprint pole and win to his successes in Brazil and leaving him with seven Grand Prix wins this season.
Teammate Piastri’s form has collapsed, with a miserable retirement in Azerbaijan setting up a run of five straight Grands Prix without a podium finish, and Norris looks primed to outscore his fellow McLaren driver once again.
Verstappen poses perhaps the biggest threat after securing third place from the pit lane last time out, but it should be noted that his car was set up specifically for the race after a dreadful qualifying showing, and that sort of pace advantage is unlikely to be seen in Las Vegas.
McLaren endured a difficult weekend in Las Vegas last year, but team principal Andrea Stella has stated that the team have learned lessons from that showing, and we should see a much more competitive pace from the papaya cars, and that makes Norris to win look excellent value.
Las Vegas Grand Prix
Oliver Bearman has had a few difficult weekends in his first year as a full-time Formula 1 driver, but the Haas youngster has found some excellent form in the latter stages of the season and looks a good pick to secure another top-ten finish.
The 20-year-old took a career-best fourth-place finish in the Mexico City Grand Prix before finishing sixth in Sao Paulo, extending his streak of points-scoring Grands Prix to four.
He has eight top-ten results this season, and Haas’ two drivers finished ninth and 12th in last season’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.