Lando Norris says he is “not looking forward to” the Las Vegas Grand Prix, warning McLaren could again find the Las Vegas Strip Circuit difficult. Norris leads the Drivers’ Championship by 24 points over team-mate Oscar Piastri after recent wins in Mexico and Brazil, but he is cautious ahead of the season’s final three races.
McLaren have struggled in Las Vegas since the circuit’s 2023 debut. Last year Norris finished sixth and Piastri seventh despite McLaren ultimately taking the Constructors’ title. Nighttime sessions on the Strip are cooler than most events, and McLaren have previously had trouble getting their car and tyres into the right operating window under those conditions.
Asked whether the conditions would help or hinder the team, Norris replied: “Hinder, for sure. I think it was our worst race last year, so I’m not really looking forward to it.” He said McLaren have worked hard to address the issues, but cautioned that Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari were all strong there last year and McLaren were the weakest of the four. After Brazil a journalist suggested he sounded negative; Norris defended his honesty: “I can say what I want. I can think what I want. I’d say what I always am is, I always try and be as honest as I can be… I’m not saying I’m going to be 10th. I’m just saying I think it’s going to be difficult to win.”
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella struck a more optimistic tone, saying the team has analysed last year’s tyre and aerodynamic problems and made changes to tyre management, aerodynamic efficiency and setup. “Will it be enough to be competitive now? We will only see it in Vegas,” he said, adding that the review provided “a lot of information to try and find a way to improve.”
Mercedes, winners in Las Vegas last year with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, might be viewed as favourites, but team principal Toto Wolff warned against assuming a repeat. He said the team must be analytical about the car and conditions and remain open-minded, noting Mercedes’ form during 2025 has been inconsistent across different venues.
The Las Vegas race weekend runs November 21–23, with practice and qualifying sessions held under evening conditions. Broadcasters including Sky Sports will carry coverage across the long weekend, beginning with press conferences and build-up shows and concluding with the Grand Prix on Sunday.
Formula 1’s title fight resumes in Las Vegas, where McLaren will test recent upgrades and the drivers will face the challenge of racing under cooler, night-time conditions.