With just three races and a sprint remaining, the British driver tops the standings with a 24-point lead over Oscar Piastri and 49 over the Red Bull driver, giving him a buffer he can manage until the season finale.

While the battle between the two McLaren drivers is still to be decided in Abu Dhabi, Norris already has the chance in Las Vegas to knock Verstappen out of contention—if he manages to gain nine more points on him in the race.

Norris can secure his advantage over Verstappen in several scenarios: if he wins and Verstappen finishes lower than second; if he finishes second and Verstappen doesn’t place higher than sixth; if he comes third and Verstappen fails to do better than seventh; if he takes fourth with Verstappen ninth or lower; or if he finishes fifth while Verstappen ends tenth or lower.

In any case, Piastri’s result won’t matter, as Norris cannot clinch the World Championship in Las Vegas under any scenario.

Since the summer break, the four-time world champion had significantly closed the gap in the standings, bringing himself back into the title fight—a scenario that seemed impossible up until Zandvoort.

However, Norris’s regained competitiveness over the last few races has pushed the Dutchman back once again, leaving him nearly two race weekends behind and making the quest for a fifth title extremely challenging.

Still, on the eve of the Las Vegas weekend, Verstappen said he’s ready to give it his all, fully aware that he has nothing left to lose.