Lando Norris handed official FIA penalty as Hamilton lef…read more
The 2025 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka proved to be an eventful and dramatic race, with numerous incidents involving some of the sport’s biggest names. Among those affected was McLaren’s Lando Norris, who received an official penalty from the FIA for exceeding track limits. Despite this setback, Norris delivered another impressive performance, finishing second behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. It was also a noteworthy day for Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda, who made his debut for the senior Red Bull Racing team, though his first outing with the top-tier squad was far from smooth.
Lando Norris has been one of the standout drivers of the 2025 season so far, and his strong form continued in Japan. Throughout the race, he maintained a competitive pace, consistently staying within striking distance of race leader Max Verstappen. Though Norris couldn’t quite match Verstappen’s dominant pace, he managed to hold off the rest of the field and secure a valuable second-place finish. This result helped him maintain his lead in the drivers’ championship standings, keeping the pressure on Verstappen in the title fight.
As the race progressed, Norris continued to push hard, especially in the final laps. With only a few corners remaining in the 53-lap race, Norris attempted one last aggressive move to close the gap to Verstappen. However, his determination may have gotten the better of him. In the approach to the Turn 17 chicane on the final lap, Norris braked late and locked up, losing control slightly and missing the corner entirely. He ended up running off the track and cutting across the chicane to rejoin, which is a violation of the track limits.
The FIA reviewed the incident and later confirmed that Norris’ final lap time had been deleted as a result of exceeding the track limits. This penalty didn’t alter his finishing position, as he had already established a significant gap over the third-place driver, but it did underline the strict enforcement of race regulations, even for the top contenders. Despite the penalty, Norris’ performance was a testament to his resilience and competitive spirit.
Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda’s much-anticipated debut for Red Bull didn’t go as planned. The Japanese driver, racing in front of his home crowd, struggled to find rhythm and had to contend with multiple issues throughout the race. Although he showed flashes of potential, the pressure and circumstances of his first race with the senior team made it a tough outing.
Overall, the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix highlighted the intense competition at the front of the grid and reinforced the idea that even small errors can have consequences, especially when battling for a world championship.
