Tsunoda hit with penalty point for feisty Norris defense as title settled in Abu Dhabi
Yuki Tsunoda left Yas Marina with more than sore tyres. The outgoing Red Bull driver has been docked one penalty point on his superlicence for the weaving that briefly put Lando Norris off the road during Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix — the very race where Norris clinched his first world championship.
The sanction follows the five-second time penalty Tsunoda picked up in-race for “more than one change of direction” while trying to make life awkward for the McLaren. Red Bull told Tsunoda over the radio to slow Norris’ charge as the title fight boiled over on the back straight; the Japanese driver obliged a little too enthusiastically, moving across several times as Norris committed to the pass. Norris completed it with all four wheels beyond the white line to avoid contact and was later cleared of gaining an advantage.
Stewards said they’d reviewed onboards, external footage and radio before concluding that Tsunoda’s moves effectively forced the McLaren off the track. The extra penalty point pushes Tsunoda to eight within the current 12‑month window — with the familiar warning that 12 points equals an automatic one-race ban.
It was a scrappy footnote to a high-pressure afternoon. Max Verstappen won the race — his eighth victory of the season — but Norris sealed the title by finishing third, securing the crown by just two points. Red Bull had thrown everything at it, including asking Tsunoda to delay the orange car behind. The intent was clear; the execution crossed the line.
Tsunoda eventually came home 14th in what now reads as his final competitive outing in Red Bull colours for a while. The team announced before the weekend that he’ll step back to a test-and-reserve role for 2026. The irony won’t be lost on anyone: he did the team job, just not quite within the confines of the regulations.
The Norris flashpoints weren’t limited to Sunday, either. In final practice Tsunoda was caught trundling into Turn 12 as the McLaren arrived at full tilt. The stewards handed Red Bull a €10,000 fine for failing to warn their driver, and Tsunoda received a formal warning for slow driving at a high-speed section.
There’s a wider point here about the edges of team play in a title decider. Teams will always use their second car when the maths demands it; the best drivers pick their battles and leave just enough room. Tsunoda brought the elbows and then some — which is exactly what earned him a talking-to from the officials.
For the record keepers: Verstappen won the finale; Norris, with third place, secured his maiden championship; and Tsunoda left Abu Dhabi with a result outside the points and one more black mark on his licence. It was that kind of Sunday.
