Abu Dhabi, UAE – Lando Norris clinched the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship today in a dramatic finish overshadowed by a controversial decision from race stewards regarding an overtake during the Abu Dhabi grand Prix. The McLaren driver secured his first title with a mere two-point margin over outgoing champion Max Verstappen, ending Verstappen’s four-year reign.
The controversy centers around an overtake Norris executed on Yuki Tsunoda, during which all four of Norris’s wheels left the track – a maneuver technically prohibited under Formula 1 regulations. While a penalty, potentially a five-second addition to his time or a requirement to cede the position, was theoretically possible, stewards ultimately penalized Tsunoda rather. The Japanese driver, teammate to Verstappen, received a five-second penalty for changing trajectory twice, sparking his visible frustration.
stewards, as described by Canal+ commentator Julien Fébreau, showed “clemency” towards Norris, citing Tsunoda’s maneuver as a contributing factor to the incident.
Norris, when questioned about the investigation post-race, appeared dismissive. “I didn’t know at all,” he stated. “I don’t care. I think what I did was correct.”
Had a penalty been applied, Norris could have been forced to relinquish the position gained during the overtake. Despite the potential infraction, the narrow championship margin suggests the decision ultimately did not alter the final outcome of the season. The race itself was relatively calm, lacking the dramatic twists of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that saw a last-lap battle between Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
