Norris Advances Closer to Championship as Verstappen Takes Las Vegas Grand Prix Win

The McLaren Lando Norris stepped nearer to a maiden world title with runner-up position in the Las Vegas Grand Prix behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen

Norris currently heads fellow McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, who ended up in fourth place behind Mercedes' George Russell, by 30 points going into the penultimate race in Qatar next weekend

Norris will win the championship in the Qatar as long as he doesn't surrender more than five points to Piastri in Losail, or 17 to Verstappen

Piastri, so strong in the first half of the season, has not finished on the podium for six consecutive events

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

"It's still a good result to get second. I've got to congratulate Verstappen and Red Bull"

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

The main developments of among Formula 1's most prestigious races were:

• Norris maintained his progress towards the championship despite the win to Verstappen

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

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

• Recoveries for both Ferrari drivers, following a difficult qualifying, with Lewis Hamilton securing a single point for 10th following beginning at the back

At the start, Norris was true to his statement that he was "not here to avoid risks" as he fought hard to defend his lead from starting first from Max Verstappen

However after an forceful move in front of Verstappen to block the Dutchman's challenge on the inside, the McLaren driver misjudged his braking point and ran deep into the turn

This enabled Max Verstappen to drive past into the lead while the British driver also second place to George Russell

During two VSC periods for some early incidents, including at the start when the Racing Bulls Liam Lawson collided with Oscar Piastri, Verstappen gradually established dominance on the race

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

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

Verstappen was could rejoin still in the lead, Russell having been failed to close in on the Red Bull despite his newer rubber

Norris rejoined behind Russell from his pit stop but following a few cautious laps to allow his tyres to warm up, soon reduced his 3.3-second deficit to the Mercedes and overtook into runner-up position on the thirty-fourth lap

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

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 attacks, and in the final laps the margin extended significantly as the McLaren began to experience a mechanical problem which has thus far not been defined

Even with dropping almost three seconds a circuit, Norris was could defend against Russell because of the size of the lead he had established while pursuing Max Verstappen

The Verstappen's sixth victory of the season - only one less than both McLaren drivers - was achieved in dominant fashion and keeps him in title contention, at least mathematically, although he requires issues for Lando Norris in the final two events to overtake him

"It remains a significant margin, we always try to optimize all we've got," Verstappen stated

"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"

Oscar Piastri started in fifth but dropped two positions on the opening lap following being hit by Lawson, who was quickly taken out of the battle by a broken front wing

He followed Lawson's team-mate Isack Hadjar for the first 15 laps before overtaking him on the Strip but also out to Charles Leclerc, who he was able to repass during the tire change phase

The Australian ended up after the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli, who ran nearly the whole event on hard tyres after pitting during the initial VSC, but was given a five second time penalty for a start-line infringement, which was not clearly visible on replays

"It was a frustrating race from essentially beginning to end in some ways," Oscar Piastri informed race broadcasters

Questioned about how he would approach the remaining events, he commented: "Just try to put myself in the optimal situation I can. I obviously require several of factors to go my way at this stage to win, but all I can do is ensure I'm in the best position to capitalise if something happens"

Charles Leclerc held on in sixth place, insufficiently close to benefit from Kimi Antonelli's time penalty, while Carlos Sainz fell to seventh place at the flag, his Williams car missing the pace to compete with the leading outfits in the dry conditions, following his impressive showing to start third in the wet weather

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

The seven-time champion made a strong getaway, up to thirteenth on the opening circuit and continued to move forwards

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