Norris Edges Closer to Title as Max Verstappen Secures Las Vegas Grand Prix Win

McLaren's Lando Norris stepped closer to a maiden championship with runner-up position in the Vegas race following the Red Bull of Max Verstappen

The British driver currently heads teammate Oscar Piastri, who ended up in fourth place after the Mercedes of George Russell, by thirty points heading to the second-to-last race in Qatar next weekend

Norris will win the title in the desert as long as he doesn't surrender over five points to Piastri in Losail, or seventeen to Verstappen

Piastri, so strong in the first half of the championship, has failed to finish on the podium for six races

"Max had a good race. I made the mistake at the beginning and was too punchy on that opening corner," said Norris

"It remains a positive outcome to get second place. I've got to congratulate Max and Red Bull"

After Qatar, the last event of the championship takes place in Abu Dhabi on December 7th

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

• Norris continued his momentum towards the championship despite the victory to Verstappen

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

• A excellent win for Max Verstappen to maintain him in the championship battle

• Fightbacks for the two Ferrari drivers, after a tough qualifying, with Lewis Hamilton claiming a single point for 10th after beginning at the rear

From the beginning, Lando Norris was faithful to his claim that he was "not present not to take risks" as he fought hard to protect his lead from pole position from Max Verstappen

However after an aggressive move in front of Verstappen to block the Dutchman's attack on the inside, the McLaren driver misjudged his braking point and ran deep into the turn

That allowed Verstappen to drive past into the lead while the British driver lost the runner-up spot to George Russell

During two VSC periods for some early incidents, including at the beginning when Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson collided with Oscar Piastri, Max Verstappen slowly established dominance on the race

Russell made an early pit stop for the hard tyres, but Norris and Verstappen stayed out

Norris stopped five circuits after the Mercedes driver and Max Verstappen 10

The Red Bull driver was able to return still in the lead, George Russell having been unable to close in on the Red Bull car despite his newer rubber

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

Norris asked his engineer how to manage the rest of his race, essentially asking whether he should settle for second place or attack

He was told to "chase down Max" but it soon became clear he had no chance. Verstappen was easily able to repel Lando's challenges, and in the closing stages the margin extended significantly as the McLaren car started to suffer a technical issue which has so far remained unidentified

Even with dropping nearly three seconds a circuit, Lando Norris was could hold off Russell because of the extent of the lead he had established while pursuing Verstappen

The Red Bull driver's sixth win of the championship - only one behind both McLaren teammates - was taken in dominant fashion and keeps him in title contention, at least theoretically, even if he needs problems for Lando Norris in the final two events to overtake him

"It remains a significant margin, we always try to optimize all we've got," Verstappen said

"During the coming events we will attempt to take victory in the event and at the end of Abu Dhabi we will know where we end up, but I'm extremely pleased of the entire team"

Oscar Piastri began in fifth but lost two places on the first circuit following being clouted by Lawson, who was quickly eliminated of the battle by a damaged nose section

He trailed Lawson's teammate Isack Hadjar for the opening fifteen circuits before passing him on the Strip but also out to Leclerc, who he was able to overtake again during the tire change phase

The Australian finished behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, who competed almost the whole event on hard tyres following pitting during the first virtual safety car, but was given a five-second penalty for a starting procedure infringement, which was not immediately obvious on video reviews

"It proved to be a disappointing race from pretty much beginning to end in certain respects," Piastri told race broadcasters

Asked about how he would tackle the remaining events, he commented: "Just attempt to position myself in the best position I can. I clearly require quite a lot of things to favor me at this stage to take the title, but my only option is make myself in the ideal situation to take advantage if circumstances change"

Charles Leclerc hung on in sixth place, insufficiently close to benefit from Kimi Antonelli's penalty, while Carlos Sainz fell to seventh at the finish, his Williams car lacking the pace to challenge with the leading outfits in the dry conditions, following his impressive showing to start third in the wet weather

Hadjar secured eighth before Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg and Lewis Hamilton

The seven-time champion made a flying start, rising to 13th on the opening circuit and proceeded to move forwards

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