FIA confirms additional Yuki Tsunoda punishment after Lando Norris incident
Yuki Tsunoda tried his best to keep Lando Norris behind in Abu Dhabi
Outgoing Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda has had one penalty point added to his F1 superlicence for his aggressive defence against Lando Norris at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the FIA has announced.
It comes after the Tsunoda was handed a five-second time penalty during the F1 2025 title decider at Yas Marina.
Yuki Tsunoda handed penalty point by FIA after Lando Norris incident at Abu Dhabi GP
Tsunoda’s Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen collected his eighth victory of the year in Sunday’s season finale in Abu Dhabi as third-placed Norris secured a maiden world championship.
Despite ending the season with one more victory than Norris, four-time world champion Verstappen fell short of the McLaren driver by a margin of just two points.
Both Tsunoda and Norris found themselves under investigation at one stage after an incident on the back straight.
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Tsunoda was informed over team radio to make life difficult for Norris as Verstappen’s title rival approached, with the Japanese driver proceeding to weave in front of the championship leader.
The Red Bull driver was handed a five-second penalty for more than one change of direction while defending from the McLaren.
Norris, meanwhile, was cleared of leaving the track and gaining an advantage despite completing his pass on Tsunoda with all four wheels off the track.
Tsunoda eventually finished 14th in his final appearance for Red Bull, with the team announcing ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that he has been demoted to a test-and-reserve role for the F1 2026 season.
The FIA has confirmed that Tsunoda has been handed a penalty point for his tactics against Norris, putting him on eight overall for the current 12-month period.
Under F1’s penalty points system, introduced in 2014, drivers trigger an automatic one-race ban if they accumulate 12 penalty points within a 12-month window.
The stewards’ verdict on Tsunoda read: “The Stewards reviewed video, team radio and in-car video evidence.
“Car 4 was making an overtaking move on Car 22.
“Car 22 made a number of changes of direction which ultimately resulted in Car 4 having to go off track to avoid a collision.
“In doing so, Car 22 also effectively forced Car 4 off the track.”
More on Yuki Tsunoda and Red Bull Racing from PlanetF1.com
Sunday’s race was not the only flashpoint between Tsunoda and Norris over the course of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
As reported by PlanetF1.com, Norris encountered a slow-moving Tsunoda on the high-speed approach to Turn 12 – the slow right hander marking the start of the famous hotel section of the track – during Saturday’s final practice session at Yas Marina.
Red Bull was handed a €10,000 fine for failing to inform Tsunoda that the McLaren was quickly approaching, with Tsunoda himself given a formal warning for driving slowly at that part of the circuit.
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