Norris DISMISSES major championship rival ahead of Las Vegas GP

McLaren Formula 1 star Lando Norris has dismissed one of the team's championship rivals ahead of this weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The British racer has emerged as this season's surprise package, presenting a considerable threat to defending drivers' champion Max Verstappen.

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Three race victories - including his maiden success in Miami back in May - and a number of podium finishes saw the 25-year-old get to within touching distance of his Red Bull counterpart, before a disappointing result in Brazil last time out all but ended his title chances.

Verstappen now has three opportunities to clinch a fourth successive crown before the season ends, starting this weekend in Nevada.

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Norris dismisses Red Bull

While the drivers' championship now appears to be out of reach, Norris may still have reason to soon celebrate, with McLaren currently leading the way in the constructors' standings.

The form of Norris and team-mate Oscar Piastri - coupled with Verstappen and Sergio Perez's up-and-down performances for Red Bull - have seen the Woking-based outfit surge past the title holders in recent months.

Ferrari meanwhile have also taken advantage of Red Bull's slump, and now sit just 36 points off the pace in second spot.

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Few had expected the Scuderia to be in with a chance of challenging for honours at this stage of the season given the strength of their rivals, but Norris insists he always believed they would prove to be a significant threat, revealing that there is almost no focus on Red Bull at this stage.

“After Miami, I already said back then, our challenge is not with Red Bull, it’s with Ferrari,” Norris told Sky Sports.

“I've said it many many times since and it was very clear for a long time that Ferrari were going to be our biggest contenders over Red Bull.

“There's almost no focus on Red Bull. There’s focus on executing our own programme, executing our own potential. The rest should take care of itself.”

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