Norris Advances Nearer to Title as Verstappen Takes Vegas Grand Prix Victory

McLaren's Lando Norris stepped closer to a maiden championship with runner-up position in the Vegas race behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen

Norris now leads teammate Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth after Mercedes' George Russell, by thirty points heading to the penultimate race in Qatar this coming weekend

The Briton will secure the title in the desert as long as he does not lose more than five points to Piastri in Losail, or 17 to Verstappen

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

"Max had a strong performance. I made the mistake at the beginning and was overly aggressive on that first turn," stated Norris

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

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

The key stories of among Formula 1's most high-profile races were:

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

• Piastri's difficult run of form persisted as his championship chances wane

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

• Fightbacks for both Ferrari drivers, following a tough qualifying session, with Lewis Hamilton securing a point for 10th following starting at the rear

From the beginning, Lando Norris was faithful to his claim that he was "not present not to take risks" as he battled aggressively to protect his advantage from pole position from Max Verstappen

However following an forceful move in front of the Red Bull driver to head off the Dutchman's attack on the inside, the McLaren driver misjudged his braking point and went too deep into the turn

That allowed Max Verstappen to overtake into the first place while Norris lost second place to George Russell

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

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

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

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

Norris returned behind Russell from his pit stop but after a several careful circuits to let his tyres to warm up, quickly reduced his three-point-three second deficit to the Mercedes and swept by into runner-up position on the thirty-fourth lap

The British driver asked his race engineer how to run the rest of his event, effectively asking whether he should accept second place or challenge for the lead

He was told to "go and get Verstappen" but it quickly became apparent he had little opportunity. Max Verstappen was readily able to repel Norris' challenges, and in the final laps the gap extended significantly as the McLaren car started to suffer a mechanical problem which has so far remained unidentified

Despite losing nearly three seconds a circuit, Norris was able to defend against George 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 taken in dominant fashion and keeps him in title contention, at minimum mathematically, even if he needs problems for Lando Norris in both remaining races to overtake him

"It remains a big gap, we consistently attempt to optimize all we've got," Max Verstappen stated

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

Oscar Piastri began in fifth but dropped two positions on the first circuit following being clouted by Lawson, who was quickly eliminated of contention by a damaged front wing

He followed Lawson's team-mate Isack Hadjar for the first 15 laps before passing him on the Strip but also out to Leclerc, who he was able to overtake again during the pit-stop period

The Australian finished behind the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli, who ran almost the entire race on the durable compound after stopping during the first virtual safety car, but was awarded a five second penalty for a starting procedure infringement, which was not immediately obvious on video reviews

"It proved to be a disappointing event from pretty much beginning to end in some ways," Piastri informed BBC Radio 5 Live

Questioned about how he would approach the remaining events, he said: "Simply attempt to position myself in the optimal situation I can. I obviously require several of factors to favor me at this stage to take the title, but all I can do is make myself in the best position to capitalise if something happens"

Leclerc held on in sixth place, not close enough to gain from Antonelli's penalty, while Carlos Sainz dropped to seventh at the finish, his Williams car lacking the speed to compete with the leading outfits in the dry, after his heroic performance to qualify third in the wet

Hadjar took eighth place ahead of the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg and Lewis Hamilton

The seven-time title winner made a flying start, up to thirteenth on the first lap and continued to advance positions

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