A penalty nearly cost Lando Norris his championship, and the stewards kept things lively throughout the Abu Dhabi race.
Abu Dhabi: tensions are high, and teammates across the grid are fighting for a higher position in the World Drivers' Championship. One driver, Yuki Tsunoda, was asked by his team, RedBull Racing, to help defend off Lando Norris on his run to the podium after a pitstop in order to possibly help Max Verstappen secure another Championship.
Championship Fight
Up to that point, British McLaren driver Lando Norris had been within the top three, all positions that would secure his first World Drivers Championship. After a pit call from the team, Norris dropped down and focused on working his way back up to a podium finish.
Also in the championship fight alongside Norris was Max Verstappen, RedBull’s four-time World Champion, unexpectedly fighting for fifth after a huge mid-season comeback.
RedBull's Request to Tsunoda
In an effort to help Verstappen secure a fifth championship title, RedBull Racing told their second driver, Yuki Tsunoda, to hold off Norris on his push back to the podium and championship after pitting.
The time had come when Norris was close behind Tsunoda, and then he moved to overtake him. To hold off Norris, Tsunoda tried covering multiple sides of the track, ultimately weaving while defending.
To get past Tsunoda, Norris went off the track with all four wheels and managed to overtake him. This sparked immediate controversy, and the stewards quickly flagged Tsunoda for weaving and Norris for leaving the track to gain a position.
Penalties Were Issued, but Not Equally
The stewards investigated both incidents before ultimately giving a five second penalty as well as one penalty point to Tsunoda for making “more than one change of direction to defend its position” (Connelly et al., “ 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Infringement - Car 22 - More than One Change of Direction”).
The decisions of the stewards was immediately put under fire by spectators as many did not feel it was a reasonable decision and that Norris should have received a penalty as well. Regardless of public opinion, the steward’s decision stands.
In the end, fortune favored Lando Norris. His third-place finish crowned him as the 35th World Drivers' Champion, sealing a winning chapter in his racing career.