Norris speaks to Verstappen after qualifying

Norris brutally honest on 'boring' Japanese Grand Prix: 'Is that all that happened?'

10:27, 06 Apr

byToby Nixon

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris have joked about their pit-lane close call together after the conclusion of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Verstappen ultimately took his first win of the 2025 season. But one of the race’s most dramatic moments came during their only pit stop, which nearly led to contact between the two title contenders.

Both drivers entered the pit lane on the same lap. While Norris’s stop was a full second faster than Verstappen’s, the two exited the pit lane side by side—a moment that saw them nearly collide. Norris had to take to the grass on the pit exit.

Despite the setback, Norris kept the pressure on, but it was Verstappen who held his nerve to take victory and cut the championship deficit to just one point.

While reviewing the footage, Max Verstappen can laugh about the incident. "That's quite an expensive lawnmower," the Dutchman says jokingly to Norris, who appreciates the joke. "We had a floor specially made for it!" Norris joked.

A 'boring Japanese Grand Prix' according to Norris

In the green room, all highlights of the race are broadcasted, but Lando Norris, like some fans, was clearly unimpressed by the highlights. "Nothing happened! I don’t think there was one overtake," Norris stated after reviewing the footage in the cooldown room.

There was just one position change from qualifying in the top 10, with Lewis Hamilton jumping Isack Hadjar for seventh place. Norris and Piastri remained close throughout the race, but neither managed to make an overtaking move on Verstappen. W F1 fans don't have to wait for a race for too long, however. Next week, the circus rolls around to the Middle East for the Bahrain Grand Prix. See the driver standings after the Japanese Grand Prix by clicking this link here.