Norris Advances Closer to Title as Max Verstappen Takes Las Vegas F1 Race Win

The McLaren Lando Norris stepped closer to a maiden championship with runner-up position in the Las Vegas Grand Prix following the Red Bull of Max Verstappen

Norris now leads teammate Oscar Piastri, who ended up in fourth place behind the Mercedes of George Russell, by thirty points going into the penultimate race in Qatar next weekend

The Briton will secure the title in the Qatar as long as he doesn't surrender over five points to Piastri in Losail, or 17 to Verstappen

The Australian driver, so strong in the opening stages of the championship, has failed to finish on the podium for six races

"Verstappen had a good race. I made the mistake early on and was overly aggressive on that first turn," said Norris

"It's still a positive outcome to get second. I've got to congratulate Verstappen and Red Bull"

After Qatar, the final race of the season follows in Abu Dhabi on December 7th

The main developments of among Formula 1's most prestigious races were:

• Norris maintained his momentum towards the championship losing the victory to Max Verstappen

• Oscar Piastri's difficult performance streak continued as his title hopes diminish

• A excellent win for Verstappen to keep him in the title fight

• Fightbacks for the two Ferrari drivers, following a difficult qualifying session, with Lewis Hamilton securing a single point for 10th after starting at the rear

At the start, Norris was faithful to his statement that he was "not present to avoid risks" as he battled aggressively to protect his lead from starting first from Verstappen

However after an forceful cut in front of the Red Bull driver to block the Dutchman's attack on the inside, Norris miscalculated his braking point and went too deep into the corner

This enabled Max Verstappen to overtake into the lead while the British driver lost second place to Russell

During two VSC periods for several opening-lap incidents, including at the start when Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson made contact with Piastri, Verstappen slowly stamped his authority on the event

George Russell made an early pit stop for the more durable compound, but Norris and Verstappen stayed out

Norris pitted five laps following the Mercedes driver and Verstappen ten laps later

The Red Bull driver was able to return still in the first place, George Russell having been unable to catch up on the Red Bull even with his fresher tyres

Norris rejoined after George Russell from his pit stop but after a several careful circuits to allow his tyres to settle, soon closed his three-point-three second deficit to the Mercedes driver and swept by into second place on lap 34

Norris asked his race engineer how to manage the remainder of his race, effectively questioning whether he should settle for second place or challenge for the lead

He was told to "go and get Verstappen" but it soon became clear he had no chance. Max Verstappen was readily could repel Norris' challenges, and in the final laps the gap increased significantly as the McLaren began to suffer a mechanical problem which has thus far not been defined

Even with dropping almost three seconds a circuit, Lando Norris was could hold off Russell because of the extent of the advantage he had built while pursuing Max Verstappen

The Verstappen's sixth win of the championship - just one behind both McLaren teammates - was taken in emphatic style and keeps him in title contention, at minimum mathematically, even if he requires issues for Lando Norris in the final two events to overtake him

"It's still a significant margin, we always try to optimize everything we've got," Max Verstappen said

"In upcoming weekends we will try to win the event and at the end of Abu Dhabi we will know where we finish, but I'm very proud of everyone"

Oscar Piastri began fifth but dropped two places on the first circuit after being hit by Lawson, who was quickly eliminated of contention by a broken nose section

He trailed Liam Lawson's teammate Isack Hadjar for the opening fifteen circuits before passing him on the Las Vegas Strip but lost position to Charles Leclerc, who he was could repass during the pit-stop period

Piastri finished after the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli, who ran almost the whole event on the durable compound after stopping during the first virtual safety car, but was awarded a five second time penalty for a start-line infringement, which was not immediately obvious on replays

"It proved to be a frustrating event from essentially beginning to end in certain respects," Oscar Piastri informed race broadcasters

Asked about how he would tackle the remaining events, he said: "Just try to put myself in the optimal situation I can. I obviously require several of things to go my way now to win, but all I can do is ensure I'm in the best position to capitalise if something happens"

Leclerc hung on in sixth place, not close enough to benefit from Antonelli's penalty, while Sainz dropped to seventh place at the flag, his Williams car lacking the speed to compete with the leading outfits in the dry conditions, following his heroic showing to start in third in the wet

Isack Hadjar took eighth ahead of Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg and Hamilton

The seven-time title winner made a strong getaway, rising to 13th on the first lap and proceeded to advance positions

He became trapped in a slipstream group with a bunch of additional vehicles but was able to use his strong beginning to rescue a championship point following the poorest qualifying session of his racing life