Max Verstappen fans are saying the same thing about Lando Norris’ overtake on Yuki Tsunoda in Abu Dhabi

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While Max Verstappen was dominating the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from the front, his teammate was trying to do him a favour.

As title rival Lando Norris approached Yuki Tsunoda, he knew that an overtake wasn’t going to be easy at all.

Just when it mattered, Red Bull could depend on their second driver to lend a helping hand amid the tense drivers’ championship fight.

But, after overtaking Tsunoda off the track, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix stewards decided to investigate him for gaining an advantage, while Verstappen was having an easy time at the front.

F1 fans felt Tsunoda impeded Norris during FP3 on Saturday, as a near-miss could have resulted in a far more dramatic incident.

Norris was told to ‘copy everything’ Verstappen does to guarantee himself becoming world champion for the first time ever. On Sunday, from lap one, he looked content with third place.

READ MORE: Oscar Piastri reveals what he told McLaren engineers after Lando Norris won the first race of 2025

Max Verstappen fans think Lando Norris deserved a penalty at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Damon Hill called Verstappen ‘flawless’ in Abu Dhabi, after he put together the perfect weekend, including two pole position laps on Saturday.

However, his teammate crossed a line and was given a five-second penalty for more than one change in direction while defending from Norris.

Norris put all four wheels off the track while passing Tsunoda, but avoided a penalty, prompting fans to react on X (formerly known as Twitter) to share their views.

“Norris literally gained an advantage?” said one fan.

“Either penalise both or none imo,” agreed another, who felt that Tsunoda had copped a harsh decision.

“Biggest robbery of all time,” recalled another fan, who thinks that the situation was unfair.

This individual was upset with the stewards’ verdict, saying, “What a surprise.”

“Absolutely done. FIA is so done,” added someone else.

And finally, one last comment read: “Of course not, Yuki shouldn’t have weaved sure, but that doesn’t allow Norris to go off the track around him. Blatantly a penalty.”

READ MORE: Max Verstappen wins the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as Lando Norris becomes 2025 Formula 1 champion

What else could Max Verstappen have done to contend for the 2025 F1 title?

Verstappen ended up falling two points short of winning a record-matching fifth consecutive drivers’ title in Abu Dhabi.

Kimi Antonelli’s mistake at the Qatar Grand Prix, which handed Norris two more points, turned out to be a lot more crucial than some might have imagined at the time.

Without them, Norris would not have become champion. Verstappen was going to ‘race cleanly’, and that’s exactly what he did. He didn’t bother trying to interfere with the race or manufacture a result.

But looking back on the season, he made very few mistakes. The Spanish Grand Prix could end up being the one that haunts him for some time.