Someone famous once said, “Viva, Las Vegas!” and the city is now under a spotlight with the latest even being hosted in Sin City.
Yes, the time has finally arrived for Formula One’s new crown jewel of their world tour: the Las Vegas Grand Prix. It’s the third iteration of the race, and it is the third-to-last race on the 2025 F1 calendar. The event is also the second mark of the world’s top racing league’s return to the Nevada desert, but so far, the latest iteration of the race has seen more success than that held in the 1980s.
Lando Norris leads the Driver’s Standings and has the chance to nearly seal his first World Drivers’ Title with a solid finish at the Las Vegas GP. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, sits in second, 24 points back, followed by four-time reigning champion from Red Bull, Max Verstappen, who, 49 points behind Norris, still has an outside shot at the championship.
In the two previous iterations of the race, Verstappen won in 2023, and George Russell of Mercedes took victory in 2024. While there are differing opinions and thoughts on the race being held on the Las Vegas strip, it remains one of the most unique sights in sports, let alone motor racing.
Las Vegas Grand Prix Schedule
GettyLAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 20: A view towards the Sphere during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit on November 20, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
In case you’re new to F1, the first two practices of the race weekend have already happened. On Friday night, free practice 1 was topped by Charles Leclerc of Ferrari with a top time of one minute 34 seconds across the 6.2-kilometer track.
Free practice 2 saw Norris finish first, with a time slightly quicker than Leclerc’s of 1:33.602. While practice now has no real impact on the race, it gives fans a glimpse of what the feature race will look like.
Practice 2 was also red-flagged multiple times due to a manhole cover being loose on the track. That same issue marred the first race held in Las Vegas two years ago, and despite reported fixes, it remains an issue.
Friday features both Free practice 3 and race qualifying, the session that will ultimately set the grid for the feature race. In qualifying, three individual sessions will occur, in which the drivers with the bottom five times will be dropped, until the final order of the 20 drivers is set. Directions for qualifying are clear: finish with the best time, start at the highest position.
So far this season, as has been the case over the 75-year history of the sport, qualifying is usually dominated by the top teams. Seeing any driver not racing for McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, or Mercedes finish first will likely require a miracle, or some Las Vegas luck.
The race is the highlight of the weekend. 50 laps around the Las Vegas city center, down the Strip for what looks like a scene out of the Speed Racer movie.
The race will begin at 8 pm local time, and is now the only event on the calendar to take place on Saturday.
What’s At Stake In Vegas This Weekend?
GettyLAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 20: Lando Norris of Great Britain driving the (4) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit on November 20, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The most obvious potential result of the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix would be Norris winning, and just about closing out what would be the first and long-awaited Drivers’ Title of his career. He finished last season second behind Verstappen, and after a contentious season with his teammate Piastri, the Brit appears ever closer to winning the championship.
Behind Norris, both Piastri and Verstappen have the chance to bring the gap down if either finishes first or on the podium, and if Norris crashes out or doesn’t finish in the points. Even if that were to be the case, both would have to put up similar performances in the final two races of the season to even have a chance at sniffing the 2025 title.
While the battle for which driver will end with the championship remains the most intriguing storyline in Formula One, it isn’t the only battle taking place. While McLaren has already won the Constructor’s (team) Championship, the battle for second, and a huge amount of prize money, is still up for grabs between Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull.
With Russell and rookie Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes sits in second with 398 points compared to Red Bull’s 366 and Ferrari’s 362. The odds are in the German team’s favor, as in recent races, they’ve consistently outperformed both.
Down the team standings, there is also a close race for 6th, which might not sound important, but carries a lot of financial impact for all teams involved. Racing Bulls sit sixth currently with 82 total points, but Aston Martin, Haas, and Kick Sauber are all within 20 points, an attainable gap considering the uncertain nature of F1.
Getty Lando Norris of Great Britain driving the (4) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit on November 20, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The F1 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix is a spectacle, with a bit of racing on the side.
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