F1 Championship leader Norris grabs Las Vegas GP pole

• McLaren's Lando Norris secured his third consecutive pole position at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, mastering wet conditions on the Strip circuit.
• The pole position strengthens Norris's commanding 24-point lead in the 2025 Formula One drivers' standings over his teammate, Oscar Piastri.

Lando Norris continued his relentless pursuit of a first Formula One world championship by securing his third consecutive pole position at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Friday, mastering treacherous wet conditions on the iconic Strip circuit.

The British McLaren driver, who has vaulted to the top of the drivers' standings with back-to-back victories in Mexico and Brazil, posted a blistering lap time of 1:47.934 seconds to edge out reigning champion Max Verstappen.

Verstappen, the Red Bull star and defending title holder from the 2024 season, was second quickest with a time of 1:48.257 seconds – 0.323 seconds adrift of Norris.

Carlos Sainz, driving for Williams after his move from Ferrari, rounded out the top three with a lap of 1:48.296 seconds, 0.362 seconds behind the pole-sitter.

The session was marked by heavy rain, which slowed lap times significantly compared to dry conditions and led to several spins and off-track excursions, adding drama to the neon-lit night.

Norris enters the penultimate weekend of the 2025 season with a commanding 24-point lead over his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in the drivers' championship.

Piastri, who has been Norris's closest challenger this year in a dominant campaign for the papaya-clad team, could only manage fifth on the grid after being compromised by a spin from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc during the session.

Verstappen sits third in the standings, 49 points behind Norris with three races remaining, making his front-row start crucial for any slim hopes of a comeback.

Norris’ blistering form

The 25-year-old Norris has been in scintillating form since the mid-season break, racking up seven victories in 2025, including his recent triumphs at the Mexico City Grand Prix on October 26 and the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on November 9.

In Mexico, Norris delivered a dominant performance to overhaul Piastri and seize the championship lead by a single point, before extending it to 24 points with another commanding win in Brazil, where he fended off Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli and Verstappen, who charged from the pit lane to the podium.

McLaren's resurgence has been the story of the 2025 season, with the team clinching the constructors' championship earlier this year after a fierce battle with Red Bull and Mercedes. Norris's pole in Las Vegas – his eighth of the campaign – positions him perfectly for Saturday's race, where a victory could all but seal his maiden drivers' title ahead of the final rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.