Lando Norris Advances Nearer to Championship as Max Verstappen Claims Las Vegas F1 Race Win

The McLaren Lando Norris stepped closer to a maiden championship with runner-up position in the Vegas race following the Red Bull of Max Verstappen

Norris currently heads teammate Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth behind Mercedes' George Russell, by thirty points heading to the second-to-last race in Qatar this coming weekend

Norris will win the title in the desert as long as he does not lose over five points to Piastri in Losail, or seventeen to Verstappen

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

"Max had a good race. I erred at the beginning and was too punchy on that opening corner," stated Norris

"It's still a good result to secure second place. I've got to congratulate Max and Red Bull"

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

The main developments of one of Formula 1's most prestigious races were:

• Lando Norris continued his progress towards the championship losing the victory to Max Verstappen

• Piastri's difficult performance streak persisted as his title hopes diminish

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

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

At the start, Lando Norris was true to his claim that he was "not present not to take risks" as he fought hard to protect his advantage from pole position from Max Verstappen

However following an forceful cut in front of the Red Bull driver to block the Dutchman's challenge on the inner line, the McLaren driver misjudged his braking zone and went too deep into the turn

This enabled Max Verstappen to overtake into the lead while Norris also the runner-up spot to Russell

During two VSC periods for several opening-lap incidents, featuring at the beginning when the Racing Bulls Liam Lawson made contact with Piastri, Verstappen gradually stamped his authority 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 and Max Verstappen 10

Verstappen was could rejoin still in the first place, Russell having been failed to catch up on the Red Bull car despite his newer rubber

Norris rejoined after Russell from his pit stop but following a few cautious laps to allow his tires to warm up, soon closed his three-point-three second deficit to the Mercedes driver and overtook into runner-up position on the thirty-fourth lap

The British driver asked his engineer how to manage the remainder of his event, essentially asking whether he should settle for second or challenge for the lead

He was instructed to "go and get Max" but it soon became clear he had little opportunity. Verstappen was readily able to repel Lando's attacks, and in the final laps the margin extended substantially as the McLaren started to suffer a technical issue which has so far not been defined

Even with dropping almost three seconds a circuit, Norris was could hold off Russell because of the extent of the advantage he had established while chasing Verstappen

The Red Bull driver's sixth win of the season - just one less than both McLaren teammates - was taken in emphatic style and keeps him in title contention, at least mathematically, although he needs issues for Lando Norris in both remaining races to pass him

"It's still a big gap, we always try to maximise everything we've got," Max Verstappen said

"During the coming events we will attempt to take victory in the event and by the conclusion of Abu Dhabi we will see where we end up, but I'm very proud of everyone"

Piastri began in fifth but dropped two positions on the first circuit following being clouted by Lawson, who was soon eliminated of contention by a damaged nose section

He trailed Lawson's teammate Isack Hadjar for the first 15 laps before overtaking him on the Las Vegas Strip but also position to Charles Leclerc, who he was could overtake again during the tire change phase

Piastri ended up after the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli, who ran nearly the entire race on hard tyres after pitting during the initial VSC, but was awarded a five second penalty for a start-line infringement, which was not clearly visible on video reviews

"It proved to be a frustrating race from essentially start to finish in certain respects," Oscar Piastri informed BBC Radio 5 Live

Asked about how he would approach the remaining events, he said: "Just attempt to position myself in the optimal situation I can. I clearly require quite a lot of things to go my way now to take the title, but all I can do is make myself in the best position to take advantage if something happens"

Charles Leclerc hung on in sixth position, insufficiently close to benefit from Antonelli's time penalty, while Carlos Sainz fell to seventh place at the flag, his Williams missing the speed to compete with the leading outfits in the dry, following his impressive showing to start in third in the wet

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

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

He got stuck in a slipstream group with a group of additional vehicles but was could employ his strong beginning to salvage a championship point following the poorest qualifying performance of his career