Five Big Questions Going Into The Las Vegas Grand Prix

There are just three races left on the 2024 Formula 1 season and before the series shifts to the deserts of the Middle East for the final two races, it’s headed to the Mojave Desert and the streets of Las Vegas.

Everyone went into last year's race without knowing anything about what the environment would be like, what kind of racing the circuit itself would provide, and even whether or not the drivers would be distracted by the big yellow smiley-face character on the outside of the Sphere.

But, there are still questions that need answers.

I don't have those answers, but dammit, if I don't have questions, here are five of them that might get answered between now and when the checkered flag waves in Sin City.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen can clinch his fourth-straight drivers' championship this weekend. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

The story that will likely get the most coverage is that Red Bull’s Max Verstappen can clinch his fourth straight World Drivers’ Championship. 

Verstappen and Red Bull dominated in 2023, but other teams have surpassed them when it comes to development, and on most weekends, Red Bull is behind McLaren, Ferrari, and sometimes both on pace on any weekend. 

However, Verstappen scored enough points with wins early in the year and continued to score well through a bit of dry spell in the middle of the season as far as wins are concerned to maintain a pretty comfortable lead over his closest challenger — McLaren’s Lando Norris — for most of the season.

What set up Verstappen’s ability to clinch this weekend was a wet and wild race in Brazil that he won, while Norris finished down in P6. He also earned an extra point for the fastest lap, so him outscoring Norris 26-8 on Sunday — even with Norris