Max Verstappen has empathised with the “easy” mistake that “caught out” Lando Norris and cost him a potential win in Formula 1‘s Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Coming into the 50-lap race at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, pole position had won the last seven consecutive races in the 2025 campaign.
With his maiden F1 title on the line, Norris needed nine points over Verstappen to put the four-time World Champion out of contention in the title battle.
Starting from the preferred pole grid slot, however, the Briton suffered a sluggish start but quickly dove towards the inside to cover off the Dutchman.
While he kept his advantage in the run down to Turn 1, he went deep on his brakes and ran off the road – handing the Red Bull driver a clear path to first.
The 28-year-old then kept that lead intact, leading throughout the race to take the win at the chequered flag, as Norris had to slow with a late problem.
Speaking after the race, Verstappen defended Norris’ aggressive manoeuvre, highlighting that the resurfaced Vegas tarmac was what undid the McLaren driver’s defence.
“Yeah, I mean that’s what you should do. I mean to cover off of course the inside,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“But I think yeah, it’s very easy to get caught out with where you have to brake. Also, because normally in the start you leave the grid and then you look in the mirror.
“But here it’s almost like you don’t have a lot of time to look in the mirror because you immediately have to brake again. And it’s quite slippery anyway. So, I guess that’s what happened.”
Verstappen deconstructs Las Vegas GP win
Norris’ Turn 1 gaffe also allowed George Russell to get past the McLaren driver to assume second place.
Russell then mounted a strong charge towards the Dutchman, coming within DRS range of Verstappen in the opening laps.
But as the Mercedes driver’s tyres started to grain, he slotted back into a comfortable distance away from the dirty wake of the RB21.
Verstappen detailed how this early onset back and forth between pushing and tyre management allowed him to stabilise his lead with the help of clean air ahead of him.
“I mean it helped of course to get into the lead in Turn 1,” he acknowledged.
“I do think in the first stint we were all finding our feet a bit with how much to push or not, how much we had to manage.
“Because I do think we’re all quite close up until the pit stops. So, we were just trying to get a good balance because we didn’t really get to have a good understanding on Thursday.
“But yeah, it felt better than expected I would say.”
Starting on the yellow-walled Medium tyres, Verstappen executed a one-stop strategy en route to his sixth win of the season.
His advantage in the first stint, however, allowed him to overcut Russell, ensuring he came back into clean air and kept his tyre advantage intact.
“Already on that compound and then when we got on to the Hard compound I think already because we did quite a decent first stint, it made the second stint a little bit easier,” he recollected.
“But even there you have to also make sure that you don’t overcook it with the tyre.
“But yeah, we did well. The good communication with the pit wall as well. So yeah, actually very enjoyable, very nice, relaxed actually. So it was great.”
Norris recovered to secod at the chequered flag and sits 42 points ahead of Verstappen going into the final two rounds of the season.
This keeps Verstappen mathematically in contention for the title, but the Dutchman is still wary of the fact that momentum is in the McLaren driver’s favour.
“Just trying to enjoy a good time. And when you can win, you try to win,” he said when asked if he believes that a fifth title is still on the cards.
READ MORE – Max Verstappen keeps F1 title hopes alive with Las Vegas GP win
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