By Rory Carroll

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) -Formula One championship leader Lando Norris swept to a stunning pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix in a wet and slippery qualifying on Friday with McLaren teammate and closest title rival Oscar Piastri only fifth.

Red Bull’s reigning world champion Max Verstappen, third in the standings after 21 of 24 races and 49 points off the lead, joined the Briton on the front row but was 0.323 slower.

Norris, who can take another huge stride towards the title in Saturday night’s race, leads Australian Piastri by 24 points and will be chasing a third win in a row at a street circuit where McLaren had expected to struggle.

The pole was his seventh of the season, equalling Verstappen’s tally, and the 16th of his career, with the last seven races all won

See Full Page