Max Verstappen reigned supreme in the streets of Las Vegas, Nevada to win the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday evening, 22 November.
Red Bull's prized driver claimed first place to trim the deficit between him and current season leader Lando Norris to 42 points. Norris' McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri managed to come in fourth, putting him at 12 points ahead of Verstappen in the standings.
Meanwhile, Norris, who came in second, is now 26 points away from earning his maiden F1 title.
Verstappen Grateful for Better Car Performance
The Dutch racer complimented his car for winning the Vegas tilt, saying it was working just how he prefers.
'The car was working pretty well, much more to my liking and it was at the end quite a decent gap,' said Verstappen, referencing the 20-second gap between him and Norris.
He was grateful that his camp was able to maximise his tyres and did not deplete them too soon, which he pointed out was a concern going into the race.
'In the race I think everyone was just trying to find a rhythm and see how much you could push, especially in the first stint because being on the more fragile tyre,' he said. 'We are normally not that great on tyres, but today it seemed like we had that a little bit more under control and I could push a little bit more and that unlocked a bit more pace.'
Norris Could Seal the Deal in Qatar
McLaren's British driver who currently leads the standings could win the Drivers' Championship in the next race in Qatar. All Norris needs is to score at least 26 points next Sunday, and he will become world champion with one race to spare.
Norris had some trouble in Las Vegas in Turn 1, when he aggressively tried to block Verstappen. Perhaps too aggressive in his attempt, he skirted to the edge of the track, which allowed Verstappen to capitalise.
'I made the mistake into Turn One. You've got to be punchy into Turn One, I was just a bit too punchy,' Norris, who earned the pole position, admitted after the race.
However, he was far from disappointed with the result adding: 'That cost me, so that's the way it is sometimes. Still a good result, second, and still good points so it's not like I'm too disappointed.'
On the other hand, his teammate Oscar Piastri, tailing him at second, needs 25 points to reduce the gap and prevent Norris from realising his championship dreams in Qatar.
'Worst Season Ever' - Lewis Hamilton
Meanwhile, over on Ferrari's camp, Lewis Hamilton's debut season with his new team has been disastrous. He has yet to win a spot in the podium in 2025 and has dubbed this 'worst season ever' as an F1 driver.
Hamilton started at last place in Las Vegas after a poor performance during the sprint. He managed to finish at 10th place and is currently at sixth place in the standings.
'No matter how much I try, it just keeps going worse,' he told Sky Sports after the race.
