Norris started alongside Verstappen on the front row, hoping McLaren’s usually strong race performance would allow him to challenge the Red Bull driver, who had won two of the past three races and beaten the McLarens in all of them.
But Norris’ hopes of the win evaporated quickly as Leclerc used the extra grip of the soft tyres – he was the only driver in the top 10 to pick them for the start, with everyone else on mediums – to catapult into second place at the first corner.
Verstappen built his lead through an early virtual safety car period caused by a collision between Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. The Spaniard was forced out of the race and later given a five-place grid penalty for next weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix after the stewards decided he was “predominantly to blame”.
Norris tried in vain to pass Leclerc, with Hamilton in close attendance. Several times Norris challenged on the outside at Turn 12, at the end of the long back straight, but he was never close enough to really try for a pass.
As Verstappen built his lead, Leclerc held on until just before he stopped for fresh tyres on lap 22, fitting the medium compound.
Verstappen stopped a couple of laps later, never losing the lead and enjoying an untroubled win, his third in four races and fifth of the season, matching Norris’ tally.
Norris stayed out for a further 10 laps, dropping behind the Ferrari again when he stopped to fit the soft tyres.
The Briton emerged 2.4 seconds behind Leclerc and within four laps was on the Ferrari’s tail.
But again he could not pass and soon he was on the radio saying his tyres we’re gone.
Norris was advised by his race engineer Will Joseph to back off for a few laps to cool his tyres and try again.
Norris did so, and closed in with five laps to go. He challenged into Turn One, briefly getting past, only for Leclerc to cut back and reclaim the place.
But half a lap later, Norris went for the position again into Turn 12, dummying Leclerc and this time making the move stick.
By this stage, Hamilton had dropped back and took a lonely fourth place.
