Watch: Max Verstappen and Lando Norris seen making plans for playing paddle soon after the F1 Japanese GP

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris were captured planning a paddle game right after the conclusion of the 2025 Japanese GP. The championship rivals will arrive in Bahrain this week for the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix.

Verstappen won the 2025 Japanese GP, thus earning his first win of the season. The Dutchman won pole during the qualifying session by pulling off the fastest lap recorded in Suzuka circuit's history. Moreover, during the main race, he beat both McLaren drivers to cross the checkered flag first.

With that win, Verstappen had narrowed down the gap to championship standing leader Lando Norris. The two are separated by just one point, as Max has 61 points while Norris has earned 62 points in three races.

That being said, keeping the on-track rivalry aside, Verstappen and Norris were already planning their off-track unwind session during the post-race media interviews in Japan. In a video clip doing the rounds on social media, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris discussed playing a game of paddle.

"We’ll play padel. We were already discussing our paddle plans," the Dutch driver told the media.

Moreover, when the reporter further asked Verstappen if he is better than Norris in the paddock, he replied:

"I think we’re equally bad."

This isn't the first time the duo has played paddle together. Verstappen and Norris are good friends off the track and spend time on various activities to unwind from the busy schedule of Formula 1.

However, during the Japanese GP, the two friends had a heated moment. Red Bull and McLaren pitted both the drivers together, and they came wheel-to-wheel at the exit of the pitlane.

Norris slipped into the grass and accused Verstappen of pushing him off the line. However, the Dutch driver put the blame back on the McLaren driver. After FIA decided to not investigate the incident any further, both drivers escaped a possible penalty.

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Lando Norris reacts to pitlane incident with Max Verstappen at Japanese GP

Max Verstappen leading F1 Grand Prix Of Japan - Source: Getty

With Max Verstappen leading the Japanese GP after starting from pole position, McLaren was desperate to give Lando Norris a chance to close the gap. Hence, both teams, Red Bull and McLaren, decided to call in their drivers for a pit stop in the same lap.

However, Norris and Verstappen went wheel-to-wheel at the exit of the pitlane and the McLaren driver slipped onto the grass. Reacting to the incident after the race, he said:

“He was still ahead. It kind of squeezes into one, and Max is the last guy I expect to give me any space, in a good way and in a racing way, so nothing more than that.”

The incident was indeed deemed a racing incident by the FIA as they decided against investigating the matter. Eventually, Max Verstappen went on to win the race while Lando Norris settled for P2.