🔗 Share this article

McLaren's Lando Norris delivered a stunning lap in challenging rainy weather on the Las Vegas street circuit, claiming pole position for the upcoming Grand Prix and taking a crucial step closer to his first F1 world championship.

Championship Battle Intensifies as Norris Increases Lead

The title race leader outperformed Max Verstappen, who took P2, while his closest competitor—teammate Piastri—ended up in fifth, offering Norris a golden chance to extend his points gap in the championship.

Williams' Carlos Sainz took third, with Mercedes' George Russell ending up in fourth.

Lewis Hamilton Endures Dismal Session in Las Vegas

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton experienced a very poor session, ending up last after struggling to make the tires to work in the wet conditions during the first qualifying session and getting hampered with a late caution.

His car has had issues activating tires in wet weather all season, but Charles Leclerc fared more successfully, finishing in ninth place and recording a time significantly quicker than Hamilton in the first session.

"The full-wet tyre was as bad as it gets," the driver stated. "I couldn't see anything. I think I hit the wall at one point. I was struggling to spot the turns."

Following displaying impressive speed in the last practice, he was hugely disappointing once more in what has been a challenging debut season with Ferrari.

"It was a great day," he remarked. "I missed my final lap opportunity. I felt like we were quickest and then you come out of qualifying 20th. This year is definitely the hardest year."

Lando Norris Delivers Under Pressure

In his case, as he attempts to secure his first F1 title, he performed flawlessly by not only taking the top spot but also importantly beating his teammate on a circuit where McLaren had expected to face difficulties.

He now leads the Piastri by twenty-four points and Verstappen by 49 points. Currently, finishing in front of his teammate in the last 3 races would be enough to claim the championship.

Indeed, if he can extend his advantage to 26 points by the end of the next round in the UAE, it would be enough to win the championship at that venue.

Strong Performance Continues for McLaren

He remains very much on a winning streak, discovering his rhythm with the vehicle at a crucial juncture in the title race, just as Piastri has floundered.

Norris was thirty-four points trailing his teammate after the Dutch GP in the summer, but since then he has produced repeatedly strong results, including pole and wins in the previous two events in Mexico and Sao Paulo—sufficient to shift the title fight in his favor.

McLaren Overcomes Predictions in Las Vegas

Norris and McLaren had played down their chances for the event in Nevada, on a circuit that is not ideal for their car due to low grip and cold conditions, and the squad had never placed higher than sixth in the previous two events here.

Yet, they showed excellent form in qualifying in the wet this time.

Challenging Conditions Test Competitors

The sessions began in steady rain, which turned what is already a slippery surface in cool temperatures an absolute handful, marking the first occasion qualifying has been held in the wet in Vegas and requiring the use of rain tires.

Indeed, on his initial forays, the driver voiced his concern as he ran off track. "Hydroplaning," he said. "I can't keep it on the track."

Session Unfolds with Excitement

Yet, as the precipitation subsided, the circuit started drying quickly on the ideal path and the times dropped.

Nevertheless, the margins were fine, as Williams' Alex Albon discovered when he was caught out on his last lap in the first segment, hitting the wall and sustaining damage that finished his qualifying in 16th.

The rain did stop, but the surface was still difficult to manage for the rest of the qualifying, and with rain tires still being used, the drivers stayed out and continued setting times as the drying path improved and the laptimes dropped.

Last attempts were crucial, with Piastri only just advancing to the second segment in tenth place.

Thrilling Finale to Qualifying

For Q3, the squads switched to intermediate tires, again remaining on track and completing laps, making strategy essential for a final lap showdown.

Pole position changed hands repeatedly as the timer wound down, with Norris posting a sighter with his nose in front before the very last flying laps.

Max Verstappen then took it as he completed his final attempt, but following him, Norris was on a push and, despite a major moment through turns 14, 15 and 16, had already done sufficient for a impressive pole position with a lap of 1min 47.934secs.

Norris could not be challenged with a yellow flag in his wake as Charles Leclerc ran off and Piastri also had to take evasive action to steer clear of another driver.