Overview
- Lando Norris holds a 24-point advantage over Oscar Piastri, with Max Verstappen 49 points back and 83 still available across Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
- Norris cautions that Las Vegas could expose McLaren’s weaknesses on low-grip, cold-surface conditions, noting last year’s struggles and the possibility to end Verstappen’s title hopes if the gap grows to 58.
- Andrea Stella attributes Piastri’s downturn to a rare run of low-grip, tyre-sensitive events and says tiny setup margins have exaggerated differences between the McLaren pair.
- McLaren CEO Zak Brown says the team will stay process-driven and maintain equal treatment of both drivers despite rising pressure in the title fight.
- Ex-team boss Guenther Steiner urges Piastri to consider leaving McLaren if he fails to win the title, while Juan Pablo Montoya criticises the Australian’s recent pace relative to Norris.