F1 Abu Dhabi GP live: Norris escapes punishment for overtaking as Piastri leads after Verstappen stop
Norris suffered a poor start to drop behind McLaren teammate Piastri in the battle with Verstappen at Yas Marina Circuit for the 2025 F1 world championship
Lando Norris has secured a boost in pursuit of his first F1 world championship after avoiding a punishment for overtaking Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen contending for the lead.
After Norris suffered a slow start to the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Verstappen held his pole position after the first lap, as he bids to make up a 12-point gap to Norris and secure a fifth world title, but an opportunistic Piastri moved ahead of his teammate to keep his own title hopes alive.
Norris has also discovered graining issues after struggling during the first few laps of the 58-lap race around the Yas Marina Circuit. George Russell also slipped back before an early stop in the Mercedes, with Charles Leclerc up a place to fourth to heap pressure on Norris.
Norris only needs a podium to claim his first title, but if he drops to fourth or lower, a victory for Verstappen would seal his fifth consecutive championship and complete the most remarkable of comebacks from a 104-point deficit in the summer. Piastri needs to win and hope teammate Norris finishes sixth or lower.
Follow live updates from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with The Independent
F1 Abu Dhabi GP | Lap 38 of 58 - Norris has a comfort zone
The gap between Norris and Verstappen is near enough the same as between Norris and Leclerc.
If Leclerc pits so will Norris to ensure he keeps hold of third place.
McLaren’s focus is now on Piastri who needs to change tyres. He’s losing time to Verstappen now.
F1 Abu Dhabi GP | Lap 37 of 58
There’s activity in the McLaren garage. Piastri may be thinking about coming in.
On the radio Norris is told: “You’re doing a great job against Leclerc, he might pit soon and we’ll cover it.”
F1 Abu Dhabi GP | Lap 35 of 58 - Norris opening gap
Lando Norris is opening up more of a gap on Charles Leclerc.
It’s now up to +4.296 seconds.
Verstappen is told to push fast to the end of the race and try not to give up much time to Piastri when he stops.
F1 Abu Dhabi GP | Lap 33 of 58 - Tsunoda defence 'dangerous and unnecessary'
McLaren boss Zak Brown has been on the pit wall talking about Yuki Tsunoda defending his place from Lando Norris.
He says: "I think it was clearly the right decision, it was a dangerous and unnecessary manoeuvre.
“This is a team sport, I'm not surprise by Red Bull's communications, you have to put that one on Yuki going over the line, it's a dangerous manoeuvre, but we're OK now."
F1 Abu Dhabi GP | Lap 32 of 58 - Verstappen closing gap
Norris remains a couple of seconds ahead of Leclerc who may be considering another stop and undercut later in this race.
Max Verstappen, meanwhile, is closing on Oscar Piastri who still has to pit and switch tyres.
As things stand Norris will be world champion. Plenty of time to go in this race.
F1 Abu Dhabi GP | Lap 30 of 58
Bang on cue - Tsunoda gets a five-second time penalty for "more than one change of direction." And the investigation on Norris is dismissed.
A double sigh of relief down at McLaren. We move on with Norris unaffected...
F1 Abu Dhabi GP | Lap 30 of 58
That overtake from Norris on Tsunoda remains under investigation, as does the Japanese driver’s questionable weaving on that back straight.
You’d have thought the two will cancel each other out but, as we know with the FIA, don’t rule anything out.
F1 Abu Dhabi GP | Lap 29 of 58 - Piastri needs to pit
Oscar Piastri is on the hard tyre and will need to pit.
McLaren need to decide when to get him in and will want to avoid being Charles Leclerc getting ahead of him.
Decisions to be made here.
F1 Abu Dhabi GP | Lap 27 of 58
Current top five:
1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
3. Lando Norris (McLaren)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
F1 Abu Dhabi GP | Lap 26 of 58
Charles Leclerc has overtaken Yuki Tsunoda as well and this one was a lot smoother.
The stewards are looking at the Norris incident. They’re looking into Tsunoda forcing Norris off track which will be a relief to McLaren.
Leclerc has set the new quickest lap time but he’s a couple of seconds behind Norris.
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