In a thrilling spectacle at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, McLaren’s Lando Norris found himself in a high-stakes showdown with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who has been nothing short of unstoppable this season. The tension soared when McLaren audaciously instructed Norris to “attack Max,” a directive that amused Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, Helmut Marko, to no end.
From the get-go, the race unfolded with drama as Verstappen, starting second on the grid, swiftly overtook Norris, who had secured pole position but made a critical error by defending too aggressively at Turn 1. This misstep allowed George Russell to slip past Norris right at the start, setting the stage for a fierce competition. Although Norris managed to regain some ground by overtaking Russell 16 laps from the finish, the pressure of overtaking Verstappen proved monumental.
As Norris was encouraged to push for the lead, Verstappen, unfazed, showcased his remarkable prowess by responding with blistering speed, setting the fastest lap of the race and extending his lead to a staggering 20.7 seconds by the checkered flag. Marko couldn’t hide his astonishment at Verstappen’s commanding performance, noting, “He was able to easily maintain the pace of those behind him and therefore save the tyres.”
The Red Bull strategist found the whole situation particularly entertaining due to Norris’s team’s bold request to attack. “The funniest thing was the message that came from McLaren: ‘Attack Max, overtake him.’ And then he hammered in one fastest lap after another, just to make things clear,” Marko chuckled, highlighting Verstappen’s confidence and control throughout the race.
Marko’s praise did not stop there. He called the race an “unbelievable Max Verstappen show,” a sentiment echoed by Red Bull’s boss, Laurent Mekies, who marveled at Verstappen’s ability to elevate his pace whenever needed. “There were a couple of times in the second stint where we asked him to increase the pace when Lando was pushing, and every time it was necessary, he increased the pace,” Mekies stated, acknowledging the challenges posed by disrupted practice sessions leading up to the race.
As the dust settled on the Las Vegas strip, Verstappen celebrated his sixth victory of the season, positioning himself just 24 points behind championship leader Norris, who faced a post-race double disqualification. Norris now stands level on points with teammate Oscar Piastri, a testament to McLaren’s remarkable turnaround after a rocky start to the season.
The narrative of the 2025 season has taken a dramatic turn, with Red Bull’s resurgence following crucial upgrades in Monza, leading to four wins in the last seven races. Mekies emphasized the importance of every race, stating, “A win is a win. It’s easy to forget how difficult it is to win. You need to get everything right.”
As the championship race intensifies with two rounds remaining in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, all eyes will be on whether Norris can maintain his lead against the formidable Verstappen, who has proven time and again that he is a masterclass in racing. The excitement is palpable, and the fight for the title is far from over!








