Norris Advances Closer to Championship as Verstappen Claims Vegas Grand Prix Win

The McLaren Lando Norris moved nearer to his first championship with second place in the Vegas race following the Red Bull of Max Verstappen

The British driver now leads teammate Oscar Piastri, who ended up fourth behind the Mercedes of George Russell, by thirty points going into the second-to-last race in Qatar next weekend

Norris will win the championship in the desert 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 first half of the season, has not finished on the top three for six consecutive events

"Max had a good race. I erred at the beginning and was overly aggressive on that first turn," said Norris

"It remains a good result to get second. I've got to praise Verstappen and Red Bull"

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

The main developments of among Formula 1's most high-profile races included:

• Norris maintained his momentum towards the championship losing the win to Verstappen

• Oscar Piastri's difficult run of form persisted as his title hopes wane

• A excellent victory for Max Verstappen to keep him in the championship battle

• Fightbacks for the two Ferrari drivers, following a difficult qualifying session, with Lewis Hamilton claiming a single point for tenth place following starting at the back

At the start, Lando Norris was true to his claim that he was "not here not to take risks" as he fought hard to defend his lead from starting first from Verstappen

But after an forceful move in front of Verstappen to head off the Dutchman's attack on the inside, the McLaren driver miscalculated his braking zone and ran deep into the corner

This allowed Verstappen to drive past into the lead while Norris also the runner-up spot to Russell

Through two virtual safety cars for some early incidents, including at the beginning when the Racing Bulls Liam Lawson collided with Oscar Piastri, Verstappen slowly established dominance on the race

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

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

Verstappen was able to return still in the first place, Russell having been failed to close in on the Red Bull car despite his newer rubber

Lando Norris returned behind Russell from his stop but after a few cautious laps to allow his tyres to settle, soon reduced his three-point-three second deficit to the Mercedes and swept by into runner-up position on lap 34

The British driver asked his engineer how to manage the rest of his race, essentially asking whether he should settle for second 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 able to defend against Norris' attacks, and in the closing stages the gap increased significantly as the McLaren began to experience a mechanical problem which has thus far remained unidentified

Even with losing almost three seconds a lap, Lando Norris was could hold off Russell because of the size of the advantage he had built while pursuing Verstappen

The Verstappen's sixth win of the season - just one less than the two McLaren teammates - was taken in dominant fashion and keeps him in title contention, at least mathematically, although he requires issues for Norris in both remaining races to pass him

"It remains a big gap, we always try to optimize everything we've got," Max Verstappen said

"During the coming events we will attempt to take victory in the race and at the end of Abu Dhabi we will know where we finish, but I'm very proud of everyone"

Oscar Piastri started fifth but lost two positions on the first circuit following being hit by Lawson, who was soon eliminated of contention by a damaged nose section

He trailed Liam Lawson's team-mate Isack Hadjar for the first 15 laps before overtaking him on the Strip but lost position to Charles Leclerc, who he was able to overtake again during the tire change phase

The Australian finished behind the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli, who competed nearly the whole event on hard tyres following stopping during the first virtual safety car, but was awarded a five-second penalty for a start-line infringement, which was not clearly visible on video reviews

"It was a frustrating race from essentially start to finish in some ways," Piastri informed race broadcasters

Questioned about how he would tackle the final two races, he said: "Just attempt to put myself in the optimal situation I can. I clearly need quite a lot of things to favor me now to win, but my only option is make myself in the best position to take advantage if circumstances change"

Leclerc held on in sixth position, not close enough to gain from Antonelli's penalty, while Sainz fell to seventh place at the flag, his Williams lacking the speed to challenge with the leading outfits in the dry, following his heroic showing to qualify third in the wet

Hadjar secured eighth before the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg and Hamilton

The seven-time champion executed a flying start, rising to thirteenth on the opening circuit and proceeded to advance positions

He became trapped in a DRS train with a group of additional vehicles but was could use his electric start to rescue a point following the worst qualifying performance of his racing life