While Lando Norris’ dreams of winning his first FIA Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship title may have evaporated on the floodlit streets of downtown Las Vegas, it was nevertheless another stellar international weekend for British motorsport.

Mercedes duo George Russell and Lewis Hamilton ensured there was still much for British F1 fans to celebrate with a dominant 1-2 victory in the glitzy ‘Entertainment Capital of the World’ while, more than 5,500 miles away on the other side of the Pacific, Elfyn Evans won the final round FIA World Rally Championship in Japan.

Both Russell and Evans are high-flying graduates of the Motorsport UK Academy, the talent development pathway established to provide the country’s brightest young talents with opportunities to learn, develop, thrive and ultimately unlock their full potential. The massively successful initiative had not been introduced when Hamilton was at a formative age.

After countless near-misses, Hyundai ace Thierry Neuville finally clinched his maiden WRC Drivers’ crown, however Evans’s second consecutive Japanese success proved critical in propelling his Toyota GAZOO Racing team to the prized Manufacturers’ title. The Welshman’s triumph also secured him second place in the WRC Drivers’ standings – a bittersweet milestone he’s now achieved for the fourth time in his career.

“I’m very happy for the team,” confirmed a delighted Elfyn who shared the top step of the podium with regular co-driver Scott Martin. “We’re sorry we couldn’t deliver the Drivers’ Championship but we’ll try again next year,” he vowed.

Norris will now be trying to emulate Evans by reinforcing his second spot among the F1 drivers – behind the newly crowned Max Verstappen – and by taking his McLaren team to its first Constructors’ Championship since the glory days of Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard way back in 1998. The next two back-to-back F1 weekends in Qatar and Abu Dhabi will settle that fiercely-fought title race.