Norris Advances Nearer to Championship as Max Verstappen Claims Vegas F1 Race Win

The McLaren Lando Norris moved nearer to his first 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 behind Mercedes' George Russell, by 30 points going into the second-to-last race in Qatar next weekend

The Briton will claim the title in the Qatar as long as he does not lose more than five points to Piastri in Losail, or seventeen to Verstappen

Piastri, so impressive in the opening stages of the season, has not finished on the podium for six races

"Max had a good race. I erred at the beginning and was overly aggressive on that first turn," stated Norris

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

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

The main developments of one of Formula 1's most high-profile races were:

• Lando Norris maintained his progress towards the championship despite the victory to Verstappen

• Oscar Piastri's difficult performance streak persisted as his title hopes wane

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

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

At the start, Norris was faithful to his claim that he was "not present to avoid risks" as he fought hard to defend his lead from pole position from Max Verstappen

But following an aggressive move in front of the Red Bull driver to block the Dutchman's attack on the inside, Norris misjudged his braking point and ran deep into the corner

This enabled Max Verstappen to overtake into the lead while the British driver lost 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 made contact with Oscar Piastri, Verstappen slowly established dominance on the event

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

Norris pitted five laps after the Mercedes driver and Verstappen 10

Verstappen was could rejoin still in the first place, George Russell having been failed to close in on the Red Bull car even with his newer rubber

Lando Norris rejoined behind George Russell from his pit stop but after a few cautious laps to let his tyres to settle, soon closed his 3.3-second deficit 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 rest of his race, essentially questioning whether he should accept second or attack

He was instructed to "chase down Max" but it soon became clear he had little opportunity. Max Verstappen was easily able to repel Norris' challenges, and in the closing stages the margin increased substantially as the McLaren began to experience a mechanical problem which has so far remained unidentified

Even with dropping almost three seconds a circuit, Lando Norris was able to defend against George Russell because of the size of the lead he had built while chasing Max Verstappen

The Verstappen's sixth win of the season - only one behind both McLaren drivers - was taken in emphatic style and keeps him in championship contention, at least mathematically, even if he needs issues for Lando Norris in the final two events to pass him

"It remains a big gap, we consistently attempt to maximise everything we've got," Max Verstappen said

"During the coming events we will try to win the event and by the conclusion of Abu Dhabi we will see where we finish, but I'm extremely pleased of everyone"

Piastri started fifth but dropped two places on the opening lap after being hit by Liam Lawson, who was quickly taken out of the battle by a broken nose section

He trailed Liam Lawson's teammate Isack Hadjar for the opening fifteen circuits before passing him on the Strip but also position to Charles Leclerc, who he was could overtake again during the pit-stop period

The Australian finished behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, who competed almost the entire race on the durable compound after pitting during the first virtual safety car, but was awarded a five-second penalty for a start-line infringement, which was not clearly visible on replays

"It proved to be a disappointing race from pretty much start to finish in certain respects," Oscar Piastri told race broadcasters

Asked about how he would approach the remaining events, he said: "Just attempt to position myself in the optimal situation I can. I clearly require several of things to go my way now to win, but my only option is make myself in the best position to take advantage if circumstances change"

Charles Leclerc held on in sixth position, insufficiently close to gain from Kimi Antonelli's time penalty, while Carlos Sainz fell to seventh at the finish, his Williams car missing the pace to challenge with the top teams in the dry conditions, following his heroic showing to qualify in third in the wet weather

Isack Hadjar secured eighth before the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg and Lewis Hamilton

The seven-time title winner executed a strong getaway, rising to 13th on the first lap and proceeded to move forwards

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