Verstappen Dominates Las Vegas Grand Prix as Norris Strengthens Title Lead

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen delivered a commanding performance to win the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday, while McLaren's Lando Norris finished second, moving closer to his first drivers’ championship.

Verstappen seized the lead from pole-sitter Norris at the first turn of the Sin City street circuit and never looked back, crossing the finish line more than 20 seconds ahead to claim the 69th Grand Prix victory of his career.

Norris, meanwhile, consolidated his position in the championship standings. His second-place finish leaves him on 408 points with just two races remaining, 30 points clear of McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth. Mercedes’ George Russell took third place.

The race followed a dramatic qualifying session on Friday, where heavy rain created treacherous track conditions that Verstappen described as “like driving on ice.” By race day, cooler, dry conditions allowed drivers to push harder.

Verstappen, still mathematically capable of securing a fifth consecutive championship despite trailing Norris by 42 points, capitalized on the improved conditions. Norris, coming off consecutive wins in Mexico and São Paulo, attempted an aggressive defensive move at the first corner, but it backfired. He ran off the track, allowing Verstappen to take the lead, and later dropped behind Russell into third before reclaiming second.

Reflecting on his error, Norris said, “I made the mistake into turn one. You know you’ve got to be punchy there, but I was just a bit too punchy and that cost me. But second is still a good result. It’s not like I’m too disappointed. I went for it and let Max have a win.”

Verstappen credited Red Bull’s tyre strategy for the victory. “Normally the race is tough for us on tyres, but today we were more in control. I could push more, split the race in half, and it definitely helped. The car was working well, and every lap I felt comfortable without overusing the tyres.”

Despite the win, Verstappen acknowledged the challenge of closing the points gap in the final two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. “It’s still a big gap, but we always try to maximize everything we’ve got,” he said.