Norris Advances Closer to Title as Max Verstappen Takes Vegas Grand Prix Victory

McLaren's Lando Norris moved nearer to his first world title with second place in the Las Vegas Grand Prix behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen

The British driver now leads teammate Oscar Piastri, who ended up fourth after the Mercedes of George Russell, by thirty points heading to the penultimate race in Qatar next weekend

Norris will win the championship in the desert as long as he does not lose more than five points to Piastri in Losail, or seventeen to Verstappen

Piastri, so impressive in the first half of the season, has not finished on the podium for six consecutive events

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

"It's still a good result to secure second. I've got to praise Max and his team"

After Qatar, the last event of the season follows in Abu Dhabi on 7 December

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

• Norris continued his momentum towards the championship despite the win to Max Verstappen

• Oscar Piastri's challenging run of form persisted as his championship chances wane

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

• Fightbacks for the two Ferrari drivers, after a difficult qualifying, with Lewis Hamilton securing a point for tenth place after beginning at the back

At the start, Norris was true to his statement that he was "not here not to take risks" as he battled aggressively to defend his advantage from pole position from Verstappen

However after an aggressive move in front of the Red Bull driver to block the Verstappen's attack on the inside, the McLaren driver miscalculated his braking zone and went too deep into the corner

This allowed Verstappen to drive past into the first place while the British driver lost the runner-up spot to George Russell

During two virtual safety cars for several opening-lap incidents, including at the start when Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson collided with Piastri, Max Verstappen slowly stamped his authority on the race

George Russell made an early pit stop for the hard tyres, but Lando Norris and Verstappen remained on track

The McLaren driver stopped five circuits following the Mercedes and Verstappen 10

Verstappen was able to return still in the first place, Russell having been unable to catch up on the Red Bull car despite his fresher tyres

Norris rejoined after George Russell from his stop but following a few cautious laps to allow his tires to warm up, soon closed his three-point-three second deficit to the Mercedes and swept by into runner-up position on lap 34

Norris asked his race engineer how to run the rest of his event, effectively asking whether he should settle for second place or challenge for the lead

He was instructed to "chase down Max" but it soon became clear he had little opportunity. Max Verstappen was readily could repel Lando's attacks, and in the final laps the margin increased significantly as the McLaren began to experience a mechanical problem which has thus far remained unidentified

Despite dropping almost three seconds a lap, Lando Norris was could hold off Russell because of the size of the lead he had built while chasing Verstappen

The Red Bull driver's sixth win of the championship - only one behind both McLaren teammates - was taken in emphatic style and keeps him in championship contention, at least mathematically, even if he requires issues for Norris in the final two events to pass him

"It remains a big gap, we consistently attempt to optimize all we've have," Verstappen stated

"During the coming events we will try to win the event and at the end of Abu Dhabi we will know where we end up, but I'm extremely pleased of everyone"

Oscar Piastri started fifth but lost two positions on the first circuit following being clouted by Lawson, who was soon taken out of contention by a broken front wing

He followed Lawson's team-mate Isack Hadjar for the first 15 laps before overtaking him on the Strip but also out to Leclerc, who he was could overtake again during the pit-stop period

Piastri ended up after Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, who ran almost the entire race on the durable compound following pitting during the first virtual safety car, but was given a five second time penalty for a start-line violation, which was not immediately obvious on video reviews

"It was a frustrating race from essentially start to finish in certain respects," Oscar Piastri informed race broadcasters

Questioned about how he would tackle the final two races, he said: "Just attempt to put myself in the best position I can. I clearly require several of factors to go my way at this stage to take the title, but my only option is make myself in the best position to capitalise if something happens"

Leclerc held on in sixth place, insufficiently close to benefit from Antonelli's penalty, while Carlos Sainz dropped to seventh place at the finish, his Williams lacking the pace to compete with the top teams in the dry conditions, after his heroic performance to start in third in the wet

Isack Hadjar secured eighth before the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg and Lewis Hamilton

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

He became trapped in a slipstream group with a bunch of other cars but was could employ his strong beginning to salvage a point after the worst qualifying performance of his racing life