Norris Advances Nearer to Championship as Verstappen Takes Vegas F1 Race Victory

McLaren's Lando Norris stepped nearer to his first world title with second place in the Vegas race following the Red Bull of Max Verstappen

The British driver currently heads teammate Oscar Piastri, who ended up fourth after Mercedes' George Russell, by thirty points going into the second-to-last race in Qatar next weekend

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

The Australian driver, so strong in the first half of the championship, has failed to finish on the top three for six races

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

"It remains a positive outcome to secure second. I've got to praise Max and Red Bull"

After Qatar, the last event of the championship takes place in Abu Dhabi on December 7th

The key stories of among Formula 1's most high-profile races included:

• Lando Norris maintained his momentum towards the championship despite the win to Verstappen

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

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

• Recoveries for both Ferrari drivers, after a difficult qualifying, with Lewis Hamilton securing a single point for 10th after beginning at the back

At the start, Norris was faithful to his statement that he was "not here to avoid risks" as he fought hard to protect his lead from starting first from Max Verstappen

However after an aggressive move in front of Verstappen to block the Dutchman's challenge on the inside, the McLaren driver misjudged his braking zone and went too deep into the turn

That allowed Verstappen to overtake into the lead while Norris lost the runner-up spot to George Russell

Through two virtual safety cars for several opening-lap incidents, featuring at the beginning when the Racing Bulls Liam Lawson collided with Oscar Piastri, Verstappen slowly stamped his authority on the race

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

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

The Red Bull driver was able to return still in the lead, George Russell having been unable to close in on the Red Bull even with his fresher tyres

Norris rejoined behind Russell from his stop but following a several careful circuits to let his tyres to settle, quickly reduced his three-point-three second gap to the Mercedes driver and swept by into runner-up position on lap 34

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

He was told 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 closing stages the gap extended significantly as the McLaren car began to experience a technical issue which has so far remained unidentified

Despite dropping nearly three seconds a circuit, Norris was able to hold off George Russell because of the extent of the advantage he had built while chasing Verstappen

The Verstappen's sixth win of the season - only one less than both McLaren teammates - was achieved in dominant fashion and keeps him in championship contention, at minimum mathematically, even if he needs problems for Lando Norris in the final two events to pass him

"It's still a significant margin, we consistently attempt to maximise all we've have," Verstappen stated

"In upcoming weekends we will try to take victory in the race and at the end of Abu Dhabi we will see where we end up, but I'm very proud of everyone"

Oscar Piastri started fifth but lost two places on the first circuit following being clouted by Lawson, who was soon eliminated of the battle by a damaged front wing

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

Piastri ended up after Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, who competed nearly the entire race on the durable compound following stopping during the initial VSC, but was awarded a five-second penalty for a start-line violation, which was not clearly visible on replays

"It proved to be a disappointing race from essentially start to finish in some ways," Piastri told BBC Radio 5 Live

Asked about how he would approach the final two races, he said: "Just attempt to put myself in the optimal situation I can. I clearly require quite a lot of factors to go my way now to take the title, but my only option is make myself in the ideal situation to capitalise if circumstances change"

Charles Leclerc held on in sixth position, insufficiently close to benefit from Kimi Antonelli's penalty, while Carlos Sainz dropped to seventh place at the flag, his Williams lacking the speed to compete with the top teams in the dry, after his heroic showing to qualify third in the wet

Hadjar took eighth before Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg and Hamilton

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

He got stuck in a slipstream group with a bunch of additional vehicles but was able to employ his electric start to rescue a championship point following the worst qualifying session of his career