Lando Norris Advances Closer to Championship as Max Verstappen Claims Vegas Grand Prix Win

McLaren's Lando Norris stepped closer to a maiden world title with runner-up position in the Vegas race following the Red Bull of Max Verstappen

Norris now leads teammate Oscar Piastri, who ended up fourth after the Mercedes of George Russell, by 30 points heading to the second-to-last race in Qatar this coming weekend

Norris will win the title in the Qatar as long as he doesn't surrender over five points to Piastri in Losail, or seventeen to Verstappen

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

"Max had a strong performance. I erred at the beginning and was too punchy on that opening corner," 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 7 December

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

• Norris maintained his progress towards the title losing the win to Max Verstappen

• Piastri's challenging performance streak persisted as his championship chances wane

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

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

From the beginning, Lando Norris was faithful to his statement that he was "not present to avoid risks" as he battled aggressively to defend his lead from pole position from Verstappen

However after an aggressive move in front of the Red Bull driver to head off the Verstappen's attack on the inner line, the McLaren driver misjudged his braking zone and ran deep into the corner

That enabled Max Verstappen to drive past into the first place while Norris also the runner-up spot to George Russell

Through two virtual safety cars for some early incidents, featuring at the beginning when Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson collided with Piastri, Verstappen gradually established dominance on the event

Russell made an early tire change for the hard tyres, but Lando Norris and Max Verstappen remained on track

Norris stopped five circuits after the Mercedes and Verstappen ten laps later

Verstappen 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

Lando Norris returned behind George Russell from his stop but following a several careful circuits to allow his tires to settle, quickly reduced his 3.3-second deficit to the Mercedes and swept by into runner-up position on the thirty-fourth lap

Norris inquired his race engineer how to run the rest of his race, essentially questioning whether he should settle for second or challenge for the lead

He was told to "go and get Max" but it quickly became apparent he had no chance. Verstappen was readily could repel Lando's attacks, and in the final laps the margin extended significantly as the McLaren started to suffer a technical issue which has thus far remained unidentified

Even with dropping nearly three seconds a circuit, Lando Norris was could hold off George Russell because of the size of the lead he had established while pursuing Verstappen

The Verstappen's sixth win of the season - just one behind the two McLaren teammates - was taken in dominant fashion and maintains him in title contention, at least mathematically, even if he needs problems for Norris in the final two events to pass him

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

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

Piastri started fifth but dropped two positions on the opening lap following being clouted by Liam Lawson, who was soon taken out of the battle by a damaged nose section

He trailed Lawson's team-mate Isack Hadjar for the opening fifteen circuits before passing him on the Strip but also position to Leclerc, who he was able to overtake again during the tire change phase

Piastri ended up after the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli, who ran almost the whole event on hard tyres 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 race from essentially start to finish in some ways," Piastri told race broadcasters

Asked about how he would approach the final two races, he commented: "Just try to position myself in the optimal situation I can. I clearly need several of factors to go my way now to win, but all I can do 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 Antonelli's penalty, while Carlos Sainz fell to seventh at the flag, his Williams lacking the speed to challenge with the leading outfits in the dry, after his heroic performance to qualify third in the wet

Isack Hadjar secured eighth before Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg and Hamilton

The seven-time title winner made a flying start, up to 13th on the first lap and continued to advance positions

He became trapped in a slipstream group with a group of other cars but was could employ his strong beginning to rescue a championship point following the poorest qualifying performance of his racing life