Unaired Max Verstappen and Lando Norris footage emerges after Japanese GP pit lane drama and it speaks volumes

Unaired footage involving Max Verstappen and Lando Norris has emerged after their pit exit incident during the Japanese Grand Prix.

Both Verstappen and Norris pitted, from first and second place, on lap 22 at Suzuka.

McLaren's pit stop was marginally faster meaning that, when he was released, Norris was side by side with the four-time world champion.

But Verstappen had the advantage, meaning he covered the pit exit line - had he moved left to allow Norris alongside, he would have received a penalty.

The Brit, therefore, had to take to the grass and dropped two seconds to the Dutchman by the time they reached turn one.

The stewards didn't take any action against Verstappen and, with the race offering little else in terms of major entertainment value, the pit stop saga was the talking point post-race after Verstappen won the race ahead of Norris.

Now, an unaired moment involving Verstappen and Norris from the Grand Prix have emerged - and it tells the full story about the incident.

Shortly after the chequered flag, Norris drove up to Verstappen's car and made a thumbs up signal towards the race winner, before then waving towards him.

lando drove to max and gave him a thumbs up! pic.twitter.com/XFuFVuNRTF

— ray (@ln4norris) April 6, 2025

There wasn't any animosity in the post-race press conference either, with Norris joking: "I wasn't even trying to race Max, I was just trying to cut the grass like he said! Didn't even know he was there, actually.

"He had the position and he had the right to do what he did, so fair play."

Verstappen, meanwhile, said: "I think the grass was not really well-cut on the right hand side. So Lando saw that as well and he made sure that it was nice and cut."