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

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

The British driver currently heads fellow McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, who finished in fourth place after the Mercedes of George Russell, by thirty points heading to the second-to-last race in Qatar next weekend

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

Piastri, so strong in the opening stages of the season, has failed to finish on the top three for six races

"Verstappen had a good race. I erred early on and was overly aggressive on that first turn," stated Norris

"It remains a good result to secure second. I've got to congratulate Verstappen and his team"

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

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

• Norris maintained his momentum towards the title despite the victory to Max Verstappen

• Oscar Piastri's challenging run of form persisted as his title hopes diminish

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

• Recoveries for both Ferrari drivers, following a difficult qualifying session, with Lewis Hamilton claiming a point for tenth place following starting at the rear

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

However following an aggressive cut in front of Verstappen to head off the Dutchman's challenge on the inside, the McLaren driver misjudged his braking point and ran deep into the corner

This enabled Verstappen to drive past into the lead while Norris also the runner-up spot to Russell

Through two VSC periods for several opening-lap incidents, including at the start when the Racing Bulls Liam Lawson collided with Piastri, Max Verstappen gradually established dominance on the race

Russell undertook an early pit stop for the hard tyres, but Norris and Verstappen remained on track

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

Verstappen was able to return still in the lead, Russell having been failed to catch up on the Red Bull even with his newer rubber

Norris rejoined after Russell from his stop but following a few cautious laps to let his tires to warm up, soon closed his three-point-three second deficit to the Mercedes driver and swept by into second place on lap 34

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

He was instructed to "go and get Max" but it soon became clear he had no chance. Max Verstappen was easily could repel Norris' challenges, and in the final laps the margin extended substantially as the McLaren car started to experience a technical issue which has so far remained unidentified

Even with dropping nearly three seconds a circuit, Norris was able to defend against Russell because of the extent of the advantage he had established while chasing Verstappen

The Red Bull driver's sixth victory of the championship - only one less than the two McLaren drivers - was achieved in emphatic style and maintains him in title contention, at least theoretically, even if he requires problems for Norris in the final two events to pass him

"It remains a significant margin, we always try to maximise all we've have," Max Verstappen stated

"In upcoming weekends we will try to take victory in the event and at the end of Abu Dhabi we will know where we end up, but I'm very proud of the entire team"

Piastri began in fifth but dropped two positions on the opening lap after being hit by Lawson, who was quickly taken out of the battle by a damaged nose section

He followed Liam Lawson's team-mate Isack Hadjar for the opening fifteen circuits before passing him on the Strip but lost position to Charles Leclerc, who he was able to repass during the tire change phase

The Australian finished after the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli, who competed almost the whole event on the durable compound after stopping during the initial VSC, but was given a five second penalty for a starting procedure infringement, which was not immediately obvious on video reviews

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

Questioned about how he would approach the final two races, he said: "Just try to position myself in the optimal situation I can. I obviously require several of things to favor me now to take the title, but all I can do is make myself in the ideal situation to capitalise if something happens"

Leclerc held on in sixth position, insufficiently close to gain from Kimi Antonelli's penalty, while Sainz dropped to seventh at the flag, his Williams lacking the speed to challenge with the top teams in the dry conditions, following his heroic performance to start third in the wet

Hadjar took eighth before the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg and Lewis Hamilton

The seven-time title winner made a strong getaway, up to 13th on the first lap and proceeded to advance positions

He became trapped in a DRS train with a bunch of other cars but was could use his electric start to salvage a championship point following the poorest qualifying performance of his career