Norris Moves Closer to Title as Max Verstappen Claims Las Vegas F1 Race Victory

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

Norris currently heads teammate Oscar Piastri, who ended up fourth behind Mercedes' George Russell, by thirty points heading to the penultimate race in Qatar this coming weekend

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

The Australian driver, so strong in the opening stages of the championship, has failed to finish on the podium for six consecutive events

"Max had a good race. I made the mistake early on and was overly aggressive on that first turn," stated Norris

"It remains a positive outcome to secure second place. I've got to congratulate Max and his team"

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

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

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

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

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

• Fightbacks for both Ferrari drivers, after a difficult qualifying, with Lewis Hamilton securing a single point for tenth place after starting at the back

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

However after an aggressive cut in front of Verstappen to head off the Verstappen's challenge on the inner line, Norris misjudged his braking zone and went too deep into the corner

That allowed Max Verstappen to overtake into the lead while the British driver also the runner-up spot to George Russell

Through two virtual safety cars for some early incidents, including at the start when the Racing Bulls Liam Lawson collided with Oscar Piastri, Max Verstappen gradually stamped his authority on the race

George Russell made an early pit stop for the more durable compound, but Lando Norris and Verstappen remained on track

Norris stopped five circuits following the Mercedes driver and Max Verstappen 10

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

Norris returned after Russell from his stop but after a few cautious laps to let his tires to warm up, soon closed his three-point-three second gap to the Mercedes driver and overtook into second place on the thirty-fourth lap

The British driver asked his engineer how to run the remainder of his event, essentially asking whether he should settle for second place or attack

He was told to "chase down Max" but it soon became clear he had no chance. Max Verstappen was readily could repel Lando's challenges, and in the final laps the gap extended substantially as the McLaren began to suffer a technical issue which has thus far remained unidentified

Despite losing almost three seconds a circuit, Norris was able to defend against George Russell because of the size of the advantage he had built while chasing Verstappen

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

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

"During the coming events we will try to take victory in the event and by the conclusion of Abu Dhabi we will know where we finish, but I'm very proud of everyone"

Piastri started in fifth but dropped two positions on the first circuit following being hit by Lawson, who was soon eliminated of contention by a broken front wing

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

The Australian finished behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, who competed nearly the whole event on the durable compound after stopping during the initial VSC, but was awarded a five-second time penalty for a start-line infringement, which was not immediately obvious on video reviews

"It was a frustrating race from essentially start to finish in certain respects," Piastri told race broadcasters

Asked about how he would approach the remaining events, he commented: "Simply try to position myself in the best position I can. I clearly need several of factors to go my way now to take the title, but my only option is ensure I'm in the ideal situation to capitalise if something happens"

Leclerc held on in sixth place, insufficiently close to gain from Antonelli's penalty, while Sainz dropped to seventh place at the flag, his Williams car lacking the pace to compete with the leading outfits in the dry, after his impressive showing to qualify in third in the wet weather

Isack Hadjar took eighth place before Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg and Hamilton

The seven-time title winner made a flying start, up to 13th on the opening circuit and continued to move forwards

He got stuck in a DRS train with a group of additional vehicles but was able to employ his electric start to rescue a championship point after the worst qualifying performance of his career