Formula 1: Max Verstappen gears up to roll the dice at Las Vegas Grand Prix

Oracle Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen enters the Las Vegas Grand Prix trailing McLaren's Lando Norris by 49 points in the Formula 1 drivers' championship, with only three races left in the season.

Despite the points gap, Verstappen is still favoured and optimistic about his chances, especially given Red Bull's potential advantage on the Las Vegas track. However, the math is clear: if Verstappen loses 9 points or more to Norris in Las Vegas, he will be mathematically eliminated from the title race.

For Verstappen to remain in contention, he must finish at least first or second, while hoping Norris scores significantly fewer points. If Verstappen finishes third or lower while Norris wins, his chance of securing a fifth consecutive world title would effectively end at Las Vegas.

Verstappen has shown resilience by cutting down a much larger deficit earlier in the season from 104 points to 49 points. Still, the competition is tight, and Norris leads with stronger recent performances, including winning in Mexico and Sao Paulo.

Las Vegas represents a critical moment for Verstappen's championship hopes because after this race, 58 points remain available across the final two races. Therefore, leaving Las Vegas more than 58 points behind would officially end Verstappen's title bid.

The characteristics of the Las Vegas track may favour Red Bull, but the recent form of McLaren and Norris makes the race outcome uncertain.

Las Vegas Grand Prix: Weather & Track Predictions

The race weekend is expected to face cold and potentially wet conditions mainly on Thursday and possibly Friday. Rain is forecast with about a 40% chance of precipitation on Thursday, coinciding with the first two practice sessions, and somewhat less probability on Friday for FP3 and qualifying.

Temperatures are expected to be chilly, around 10-12°C during the sessions, which is below the usual average for this time of year. The race day on Saturday is predicted to be dry and clearer, with a temperature around 14-17°C.

The drivers have expressed concern over the wet and cold conditions making the track slippery and challenging, especially since the Las Vegas street circuit is already known to be low grip and tricky even in dry conditions.

Wet sessions will be a first for the event, increasing the challenge as the car tires will struggle to reach optimal temperature in such cold weather. Some drivers called it an "insane challenge" and "spicy conditions" if rain persists in practice.