Norris Edges Closer to Title as Max Verstappen Claims Vegas F1 Race Win

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

Norris currently heads teammate Oscar Piastri, who finished in fourth place after the Mercedes of George Russell, by thirty points heading to the penultimate race in Qatar next weekend

The Briton will win the title in the desert as long as he doesn't surrender over five points to Piastri in Losail, or 17 to Verstappen

The Australian driver, so impressive in the opening stages of the season, has not finished on the top three for six races

"Verstappen had a strong performance. I erred early on and was overly aggressive on that opening corner," said Norris

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

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

The key stories of one of Formula 1's most prestigious races included:

• Lando Norris continued his progress towards the title losing the win to Verstappen

• Piastri's challenging run of form continued as his championship chances diminish

• A superb win for Max Verstappen to maintain him in the title fight

• Recoveries for both Ferrari drivers, after a difficult qualifying, with Lewis Hamilton claiming a point for tenth place after beginning at the back

From the beginning, Lando Norris was true to his statement that he was "not present not to take risks" as he fought hard to defend his lead from pole position from Verstappen

However after an aggressive move in front of Verstappen to head off the Verstappen's challenge on the inner line, Norris misjudged his braking zone 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 several opening-lap incidents, featuring at the start when the Racing Bulls Liam Lawson collided with Piastri, Verstappen gradually stamped his authority on the event

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

The McLaren driver pitted five circuits following the Mercedes and Verstappen 10

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 fresher tyres

Norris rejoined behind Russell from his pit stop but after a several careful circuits to allow his tyres to settle, quickly closed his 3.3-second deficit to the Mercedes and overtook into second place on the thirty-fourth lap

Norris asked his engineer how to manage the remainder of his event, essentially questioning whether he should settle for second place or attack

He was instructed to "go and get Max" but it soon became clear he had no chance. Verstappen was easily could defend against Lando's challenges, and in the closing stages the margin extended substantially as the McLaren started to experience a technical issue which has thus far not been defined

Even with losing nearly three seconds a lap, Norris was could defend against Russell because of the size of the lead he had built while pursuing Max Verstappen

The Verstappen's sixth win of the season - just one less than both McLaren drivers - was achieved in dominant fashion and keeps him in championship contention, at minimum mathematically, although he requires problems for Lando Norris in both remaining races to pass him

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

"In upcoming weekends we will try to win the race and at the end of Abu Dhabi we will know where we finish, but I'm extremely pleased of the entire team"

Piastri started in fifth but lost two places on the first circuit following being clouted by Lawson, who was quickly taken out of contention by a broken front wing

He followed Liam Lawson's team-mate Isack Hadjar for the opening fifteen circuits before passing him on the Las Vegas Strip but lost out to Charles Leclerc, who he was could repass during the pit-stop period

Piastri ended up after 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 given a five second penalty for a start-line violation, which was not immediately obvious on video reviews

"It proved to be a frustrating race from essentially beginning to end in certain respects," Oscar Piastri told BBC Radio 5 Live

Asked about how he would tackle the final two races, he said: "Just attempt to put myself in the best position I can. I clearly require several of factors to favor me now to win, but all I can do is make myself in the ideal situation to capitalise if something happens"

Charles Leclerc held on in sixth position, insufficiently close to gain from Kimi Antonelli's penalty, while Sainz fell to seventh place at the finish, his Williams missing the speed to challenge with the leading outfits in the dry conditions, following his heroic showing to qualify in third in the wet

Hadjar secured eighth place ahead of Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg and Lewis Hamilton

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

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