Lando Norris Advances Nearer to Title as Max Verstappen Secures Vegas Grand Prix Victory

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

The British driver now leads fellow McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, who finished in fourth place behind Mercedes' George Russell, by thirty points going into the penultimate race in Qatar next weekend

The Briton 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

The Australian driver, so strong in the first half of the championship, has failed to finish on the top three for six consecutive events

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

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

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

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

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

• Piastri's difficult performance streak continued as his championship chances wane

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

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

From the beginning, Lando Norris was true to his claim that he was "not here to avoid risks" as he battled aggressively to defend his lead from starting first from Max Verstappen

However after an forceful move in front of Verstappen to head off the Verstappen's attack on the inner line, the McLaren driver misjudged his braking point and ran deep into the turn

This enabled Max Verstappen to overtake into the lead while Norris lost second place to Russell

Through two virtual safety cars for some early incidents, featuring at the start when Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson made contact with Oscar Piastri, Verstappen gradually stamped his authority on the race

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

Norris pitted five circuits after the Mercedes driver and Verstappen ten laps later

The Red Bull driver was could rejoin still in the lead, Russell having been failed to catch up on the Red Bull even with his fresher tyres

Lando Norris rejoined behind George Russell from his stop but following a several careful circuits to allow his tires to warm up, soon closed his three-point-three second gap to the Mercedes driver and overtook into runner-up position on the thirty-fourth lap

The British driver asked his race engineer how to run the remainder of his race, essentially asking whether he should accept second place or attack

He was instructed to "chase down Verstappen" but it soon became clear he had no chance. Max Verstappen was readily could repel Lando's challenges, and in the closing stages the margin extended significantly as the McLaren car started to experience a mechanical problem which has so far remained unidentified

Despite dropping almost three seconds a lap, Lando Norris was could defend against Russell because of the extent of the lead he had built while chasing Verstappen

The Red Bull driver's sixth win of the season - only one less than both McLaren drivers - was taken in dominant fashion and maintains him in championship contention, at least theoretically, even if he requires issues for Norris in both remaining races to pass him

"It's still a big gap, we consistently attempt to maximise all we've got," Verstappen stated

"In upcoming weekends we will try to win the event and at the end of Abu Dhabi we will know where we finish, but I'm extremely pleased of the entire team"

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

He followed Lawson's teammate Isack Hadjar for the opening fifteen circuits before passing him on the Las Vegas Strip but lost out to Leclerc, who he was able to repass during the pit-stop period

Piastri finished after Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, who competed almost the entire race on the durable compound following pitting during the initial VSC, but was awarded a five second penalty for a start-line infringement, which was not immediately obvious on replays

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

Asked about how he would approach the remaining events, he said: "Simply attempt to position myself in the best position I can. I clearly require several of factors to go my way at this stage to win, but my only option is make myself in the best position to take advantage if something happens"

Charles Leclerc held on in sixth place, not close enough to gain from Kimi Antonelli's time penalty, while Sainz fell to seventh place at the flag, his Williams car lacking the pace to challenge with the top teams in the dry conditions, after his heroic performance to qualify third in the wet

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 proceeded to advance positions

He became trapped in a DRS train with a group of additional vehicles but was able to employ his strong beginning to salvage a championship point after the worst qualifying performance of his career