Lando Norris Advances Closer to Title as Verstappen Secures Vegas Grand Prix Win

McLaren's Lando Norris stepped closer to his first championship with runner-up position in the Las Vegas Grand Prix following Red Bull's Max Verstappen

Norris now leads teammate Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth after the Mercedes of George Russell, by thirty points going into the second-to-last race in Qatar next weekend

Norris will claim the title in the Qatar as long as he does not lose more than 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 top three for six consecutive events

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

"It's still a positive outcome to secure second. I've got to praise Max and Red Bull"

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

The key stories of one of Formula 1's most high-profile races included:

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

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

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

• Recoveries for the two Ferrari drivers, after a tough qualifying, with Lewis Hamilton claiming a point for 10th following starting at the back

At the start, Lando Norris was faithful to his claim that he was "not here not to take risks" as he battled aggressively to protect his lead from starting first from Verstappen

However after an aggressive move in front of Verstappen to head off the Verstappen's challenge on the inside, Norris miscalculated his braking zone and ran deep into the turn

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

During two VSC periods for several opening-lap incidents, featuring at the start when Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson collided with Oscar Piastri, Verstappen gradually stamped his authority on the event

George Russell undertook an early tire change for the hard tyres, but Lando Norris and Verstappen stayed out

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

The Red Bull driver was could return still in the first place, Russell having been unable to close in on the Red Bull car even with his fresher tyres

Lando Norris rejoined after George Russell from his pit stop but following a several careful circuits to let his tyres to settle, soon closed his three-point-three second gap to the Mercedes 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 or challenge for the lead

He was instructed to "chase down Verstappen" but it quickly became apparent he had little opportunity. Verstappen was easily able to defend against Lando's attacks, and in the closing stages the gap extended substantially as the McLaren started to experience a technical issue which has so far remained unidentified

Despite dropping almost three seconds a circuit, Lando Norris was able to defend against George Russell because of the extent of the advantage he had built while pursuing Verstappen

The Red Bull driver's sixth win of the season - only one less than the two McLaren teammates - was achieved in dominant fashion and maintains him in championship contention, at least mathematically, although he needs issues for Norris in both remaining races to pass him

"It's still a big gap, we consistently attempt to optimize all we've have," Verstappen said

"In upcoming weekends we will try to take victory in the race and at the end of Abu Dhabi we will see where we finish, but I'm very proud of everyone"

Piastri started fifth but lost two places on the opening lap after being hit by Liam Lawson, who was quickly eliminated of contention by a damaged nose section

He trailed Liam Lawson's team-mate Isack Hadjar for the opening fifteen circuits before passing him on the Las Vegas Strip but also position to Charles Leclerc, who he was able to overtake again during the tire change phase

Piastri finished behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, who ran nearly the entire race on the durable compound following pitting during the initial VSC, but was given a five-second penalty for a start-line infringement, which was not clearly visible on video reviews

"It proved to be a frustrating race from pretty much start to finish in certain respects," Piastri told BBC Radio 5 Live

Asked about how he would approach the remaining events, he commented: "Just try to put myself in the best position I can. I obviously require several of things to favor me now to take the title, but my only option is make myself in the best position to capitalise if circumstances change"

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

Hadjar secured eighth place before the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg and Hamilton

The seven-time title winner executed a flying start, up to 13th on the opening circuit and continued to advance positions

He got stuck in a slipstream group with a bunch of additional vehicles but was could use his electric start to salvage a championship point after the poorest qualifying session of his career