Lando Norris Moves Nearer to Title as Max Verstappen Claims Vegas Grand Prix Win

McLaren's Lando Norris stepped nearer to his first championship with second place in the Las Vegas Grand Prix behind the Red Bull of Max Verstappen

Norris currently heads fellow McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, who ended up fourth behind Mercedes' 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 more than five points to Piastri in Losail, or 17 to Verstappen

Piastri, so impressive in the first half of the championship, has failed to finish on the podium for six consecutive events

"Max had a strong performance. I erred early on and was too punchy on that first turn," said Norris

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

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

The key stories of one of Formula 1's most prestigious races included:

• Norris maintained his progress towards the championship losing the victory to Verstappen

• Piastri's challenging performance streak persisted as his title hopes diminish

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

• Fightbacks for both Ferrari drivers, following a tough qualifying, with Lewis Hamilton securing a point for 10th after beginning at the back

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

However following an forceful cut in front of the Red Bull driver to head off the Dutchman's attack on the inner line, Norris misjudged his braking zone and went too deep into the corner

That allowed Max Verstappen to drive past into the first place while Norris lost the runner-up spot to Russell

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

Russell undertook an early pit stop for the more durable compound, but Norris and Verstappen remained on track

The McLaren driver stopped five laps after the Mercedes driver and Max Verstappen ten laps later

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

Lando Norris returned behind Russell from his stop but following a several careful circuits to allow his tyres to settle, soon reduced his three-point-three second gap to the Mercedes driver and overtook into second place on lap 34

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

He was instructed to "go and get Verstappen" but it quickly became apparent he had little opportunity. Verstappen was easily able to repel Lando's challenges, and in the final laps the gap extended significantly as the McLaren began to experience a mechanical problem which has thus far remained unidentified

Even with losing almost three seconds a circuit, Lando Norris was able to hold off Russell because of the size of the lead he had built while chasing Verstappen

The Red Bull driver's sixth victory of the championship - only one less than the two McLaren teammates - was achieved in dominant fashion and maintains him in championship contention, at minimum mathematically, even if he requires issues for Norris in the final two events to overtake him

"It's still a significant margin, we always try to maximise all we've got," Max Verstappen stated

"In upcoming weekends we will try to win the race and by the conclusion of Abu Dhabi we will know where we end up, but I'm extremely pleased of everyone"

Oscar Piastri started fifth but dropped two positions on the first circuit after being clouted by Liam Lawson, who was soon eliminated of contention by a damaged nose section

He followed Liam Lawson's team-mate Isack Hadjar for the opening fifteen circuits before passing him on the Las Vegas Strip but also out to Charles Leclerc, who he was could repass during the tire change phase

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

"It was a disappointing event from pretty much start to finish in some ways," Piastri informed race broadcasters

Questioned about how he would approach the final two races, he said: "Just attempt to put myself in the optimal situation I can. I obviously need several of things to favor me now to take the title, but my only option is make myself in the best position to take advantage if something happens"

Leclerc held on in sixth position, not close enough to benefit from Kimi Antonelli's time penalty, while Sainz fell to seventh at the flag, his Williams car lacking the speed to compete with the leading outfits in the dry conditions, after his impressive showing to qualify third in the wet weather

Isack Hadjar took eighth before Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg and Hamilton

The seven-time champion made a flying start, up to 13th on the first lap and continued to advance positions

He got stuck in a DRS train with a bunch of other cars but was able to use his electric start to rescue a championship point after the poorest qualifying session of his racing life