Verstappen wins Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix, Norris edges closer to crown
![](/<figure><img src="https://media.zenfs.com/en/afp.com/139ee2752c2c8a828dbd5d6671654f77" data-uuid="ba87607a-0668-3312-b9d4-d3b33d1627c0"><figcaption>Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the Las Vegas Formula One Grand Prix (Frederic J. Brown)</figcaption></figure><p>Formula One world champion Max Verstappen produced a masterful drive to win the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday as McLaren's Lando Norris finished second to edge closer to a maiden drivers' title.</p><p>Red Bull ace Verstappen pounced on a slip by pole-sitter Norris on the first turn of Sin City's street circuit to grab the lead and controlled the race thereafter to claim the 69th Grand Prix win of his career, finishing more than 20 seconds clear.</p><p>Britain's Norris tightened his grip on the season standings, with his second place finish leaving him on 408 points with two races remaining, 30 clear of team-mate Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth. Mercedes' George Russell was third.</p><p>After the drama of Friday's qualifying, when heavy rain made for treacherous conditions that Verstappen likened to driving on ice, Saturday's 50-lap race under the glittering lights of Las Vegas got under way in cool, dry conditions.</p><p>Verstappen, who could mathematically still win a fifth consecutive title after a result that leaves him 42 points behind Norris, was quick to exploit the improved weather.</p><p>Norris, who had arrived in Vegas fresh from back-to-back wins in Mexico and Sao Paulo, attempted an aggressive move to block Verstappen moments after the start.</p><p>The move backfired and Norris ran off the track and allowed Verstappen to grab first place. Norris dropped back to third after he was passed by Russell into second.</p><p>rcw/dh</p>)
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Kings overcome Jokic's 44 points, beat Nuggets 128-123 to end 8-game slide
Norris moves closer to title as Verstappen wins
![](/<figure><img alt="Lando Norris speaking to Max Verstappen after the Las Vegas Grand Prix" height="526" src="https://media.zenfs.com/en/bbc_us_articles_995/1efdefc469ea889d40e0916a19cb82ab" width="935" data-uuid="7a9a2452-c9e6-3d88-991e-244722a46b22"><figcaption>Lando Norris now leads McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri by 30 points with a maximum of 58 available in the final two races [Getty Images]</figcaption></figure><p>McLaren's Lando Norris moved closer to his first world title with second place in the Las Vegas Grand Prix behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen.</p><p>Norris leads team-mate Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth behind Mercedes' George Russell, by 30 points heading to the penultimate race in Qatar next weekend.</p><p>The Briton will win the championship in the desert as long as he does not lose more than five points to Piastri in Losail, or 17 to Verstappen.</p><p>The key stories of one of Formula 1's most high-profile races were:</p><ul><li>Norris continued his momentum towards the title despite losing the win to Verstappen</li><li>Piastri's difficult run of form continued as his title hopes wane</li><li>A superb win for Verstappen to keep him in the title fight</li><li>Fightbacks for both Ferrari drivers, after a difficult qualifying session, with Lewis Hamilton claiming a point for 10th after starting at the back</li></ul><p><strong>More to follow</strong></p><figure><img alt="Max Verstappen overtakes Lando Norris at the start of the Las Vegas Grand Prix" height="475" src="https://media.zenfs.com/en/bbc_us_articles_995/67c649a4beff4edcec48cbd13d3196a2" width="844" data-uuid="bd5e60bc-9528-340e-a56c-5ffac0ad87a7"><figcaption>Verstappen overtakes Norris at the start after the McLaren driver ran wide at the first corner [Getty Images]</figcaption></figure><ul><li><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/c62x8xe3p2po?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Byahoo.north.america%5D-%5Blink%5D-%5Bsport%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D">Andrew Benson Q&A: Send us your questions</a></li></ul><img class="tracking-img" height="1" src="https://a1.api.bbc.co.uk/hit.xiti/?s=598314&p=sport.formula1.articles.cr7l5v2exv0o.page&x1=%5Burn%3Abbc%3Aoptimo%3Aasset%3Acr7l5v2exv0o%5D&x4=%5Ben-gb%5D&x5=%5Bhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Fsport%2Fformula1%2Farticles%2Fcr7l5v2exv0o%5D&x7=%5Barticle%5D&x8=%5Bsynd_nojs_ISAPI%5D&x9=%5BNorris+moves+closer+to+title+as+Verstappen+wins%5D&x11=%5B2025-11-23T05%3A43%3A01.665Z%5D&x12=%5B2025-11-23T05%3A43%3A01.665Z%5D&x19=%5Byahoo.north.america%5D" width="1" data-uuid="60871db1-6bbd-3a59-8c21-402b29dfa845">)
DeSimone scores go-ahead goal in 3rd and Mammoth beat slumping Rangers 3-2 to stop 4-game skid
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Nick DeSimone scored the tiebreaking goal 7:32 into the third period and the Utah Mammoth beat the scuffling New York Rangers 3-2 on Saturday night to snap a four-game losing streak.
JJ Peterka and Clayton Keller also scored for the Mammoth, who overcame a 2-1 deficit in their seventh comeback victory this season. Karel Vejmelka made 20 saves.
Vladislav Gavrikov and Artemi Panarin scored for the Rangers, who have lost four consecutive games — all in regulation and three by one goal. They finished 0-3 on their Western Conference road swing.
Jonathan Quick stopped 31 shots in a terrific performance for New York.
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