Norris Moves Nearer to Championship as Verstappen Secures Las Vegas F1 Race Win

The McLaren Lando Norris stepped closer to his first world title with runner-up position in the Las Vegas Grand Prix behind the Red Bull of Max Verstappen

Norris currently heads fellow McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth after the Mercedes of George Russell, by thirty points going into the second-to-last race in Qatar this coming weekend

The Briton will secure the championship in the Qatar as long as he doesn't surrender over five points to Piastri in Losail, or 17 to Verstappen

Piastri, so impressive in the first half of the season, has not finished on the top three for six races

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

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

Following Qatar, the last event of the season follows in Abu Dhabi on 7 December

The main developments of one of Formula 1's most prestigious races included:

• Lando Norris continued his momentum towards the title despite the victory to Max Verstappen

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

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

• Recoveries for both Ferrari drivers, after a tough qualifying session, 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 to avoid risks" as he battled aggressively to protect his lead from pole position from Verstappen

However following an aggressive cut in front of the Red Bull driver to head off the Dutchman's challenge on the inner line, Norris miscalculated his braking point and ran deep into the corner

This allowed Verstappen to overtake into the first place while Norris also the runner-up spot to Russell

During two VSC periods for several opening-lap incidents, featuring at the beginning when the Racing Bulls Liam Lawson made contact with Piastri, Max Verstappen gradually stamped his authority on the event

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

The McLaren driver pitted five circuits after the Mercedes and Max Verstappen 10

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

Lando Norris returned behind George Russell from his stop but after a several careful circuits to allow his tyres to warm up, quickly reduced his 3.3-second deficit to the Mercedes and swept by into second place on the thirty-fourth lap

Norris asked his race engineer how to run the remainder of his race, essentially asking whether he should accept second or challenge for the lead

He was instructed to "chase down Max" but it soon became clear he had no chance. Verstappen was easily could defend against Lando's challenges, and in the final laps the margin extended substantially as the McLaren car began to experience a mechanical problem which has so far not been defined

Despite dropping almost three seconds a circuit, Lando Norris was could hold off Russell because of the size of the advantage he had built while pursuing Max Verstappen

The Verstappen's sixth victory of the championship - only one behind both McLaren drivers - was achieved in emphatic style and keeps him in title contention, at least mathematically, even if he requires problems for Lando Norris in both remaining races to overtake him

"It's still a significant margin, we consistently attempt to optimize everything we've have," Verstappen stated

"In upcoming weekends we will try to take victory in the event and at the end of Abu Dhabi we will see where we end up, but I'm extremely pleased of the entire team"

Piastri started fifth but lost two positions on the opening lap after being hit by Lawson, who was soon eliminated of contention by a damaged front wing

He followed Lawson's teammate Isack Hadjar for the first 15 laps before overtaking him on the Strip but lost out to Charles Leclerc, who he was able to repass during the pit-stop period

The Australian finished behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, who ran nearly the whole event on hard tyres following stopping during the initial VSC, but was awarded a five second time penalty for a starting procedure infringement, which was not clearly visible on replays

"It proved to be a disappointing race from essentially beginning to end in some ways," Piastri told BBC Radio 5 Live

Asked about how he would tackle the remaining events, he commented: "Simply attempt 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 something happens"

Charles Leclerc hung on in sixth position, insufficiently close to gain from Kimi Antonelli's penalty, while Sainz dropped to seventh place at the finish, his Williams lacking the pace to compete with the leading outfits in the dry, following his heroic performance to start third in the wet

Hadjar secured eighth ahead of the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg and Lewis Hamilton

The seven-time title winner executed a strong getaway, rising to thirteenth on the opening circuit and proceeded to advance positions

He became trapped in a slipstream group with a group of other cars but was able to employ his strong beginning to salvage a championship point after the poorest qualifying session of his career