Lando Norris Advances Closer to Championship as Verstappen Secures Vegas F1 Race Win

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

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

Norris will secure the championship in the Qatar as long as he does not lose more than five points to Piastri in Losail, or 17 to Verstappen

Piastri, so impressive in the opening stages of the championship, has not finished on the top three for six races

"Verstappen had a good race. I erred at the beginning and was too punchy on that first turn," said Norris

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

Following 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 high-profile races were:

• Norris maintained his progress towards the championship losing the win to Verstappen

• Oscar Piastri's difficult performance streak continued as his title hopes wane

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

• Fightbacks for the two Ferrari drivers, after a tough qualifying, with Lewis Hamilton securing a single point for 10th after beginning at the rear

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

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

That enabled Verstappen to overtake into the first place while Norris also second place to Russell

During two VSC periods for some early incidents, including at the beginning when the Racing Bulls Liam Lawson made contact with Piastri, Max Verstappen gradually stamped his authority on the race

George Russell undertook an early tire change for the more durable compound, but Lando Norris and Max Verstappen stayed out

The McLaren driver stopped five laps following the Mercedes and Max Verstappen ten laps later

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

Norris rejoined behind Russell from his pit stop but after a several careful circuits to allow his tyres to warm up, soon reduced his three-point-three second deficit to the Mercedes driver and overtook into runner-up position on lap 34

The British driver inquired his race engineer how to manage the rest of his event, effectively asking whether he should accept second or attack

He was instructed to "chase down Verstappen" but it soon became clear he had no chance. Verstappen was easily able to repel Lando's attacks, and in the closing stages the margin extended significantly as the McLaren started to suffer a mechanical problem which has so far remained unidentified

Despite losing almost three seconds a lap, Norris was able to hold off Russell because of the extent of the lead he had built while pursuing Verstappen

The Red Bull driver's sixth victory of the season - only one less than both McLaren teammates - was achieved in dominant fashion and maintains him in title contention, at least mathematically, although he needs issues for Norris in both remaining races to pass him

"It remains a big gap, we consistently attempt to maximise everything we've have," 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 know where we end up, but I'm extremely pleased of the entire team"

Oscar Piastri began fifth but lost two places on the opening lap after being hit by Liam Lawson, who was soon taken out of the battle by a broken front wing

He followed Lawson's teammate Isack Hadjar for the first 15 laps before passing him on the Strip but also position to Leclerc, who he was able to overtake again during the tire change phase

Piastri finished after Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, who competed almost the whole event on the durable compound after pitting during the initial VSC, but was awarded a five second penalty for a start-line violation, which was not clearly visible on video reviews

"It was a disappointing race from essentially beginning to end in some ways," Piastri informed BBC Radio 5 Live

Asked about how he would approach the remaining events, he said: "Simply try to put myself in the optimal situation I can. I obviously require several of factors to go my way now to take the title, but all I can do is ensure I'm in the ideal situation to capitalise if circumstances change"

Charles Leclerc held on in sixth place, not close enough to benefit from Kimi Antonelli's penalty, while Sainz dropped to seventh at the finish, his Williams missing the pace to compete with the top teams in the dry conditions, after his heroic showing to start in third in the wet

Hadjar took eighth before Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg and Hamilton

The seven-time title winner made a strong getaway, up to thirteenth on the opening circuit and continued to advance positions

He became trapped in a DRS train with a group of additional vehicles but was could employ his strong beginning to rescue a point after the poorest qualifying performance of his racing life