Lando Norris plans to ‘get his elbows out’ with Max Verstappen this year after the Dutchman roughed him up during races in Austria, Mexico and the United States last season.
The Brit is targeting a maiden Drivers’ Championship crown in 2025 after finishing second-best last time out.
Norris and Verstappen’s title fight created a number of memorable on-track battles, but the Dutchman’s never-say-die attitude ultimately set him on course for a fourth successive crown.
As made explicitly clear in Mexico City, the Red Bull driver was willing to make contact if it would stop his rival from gaining points.
The Brit, meanwhile, was intent on doing this his own way. Norris maintained a commitment to fair racing and refused to get rough with Verstappen.
This may be set to change in 2025, although the McLaren driver still intends to keep things fair.
“I need to get my elbows out, and I need to show him that I’m not going to willingly give him any positions, but I also have to be a smart driver,” he confessed after the launch of the MCL39 at Silverstone.
“You have to be a smart driver to go up against Max – we saw it last year. At the same time, I want to say I don’t need to go out and prove something to him.
I don’t need to take any unnecessary risks, and I don’t need to go down trying.
“I’ll just keep focusing on myself. Max is quick, he’s aggressive, one of the best ever. The easy way is just going out, being a bit quicker than him and staying ahead. That’s the obvious plan.”
Whereas in 2024, McLaren started the campaign with a significant deficit to rivals Red Bull, Norris heads into the upcoming season as the favourite to claim the title.
His squad won the Constructors’ Championship last time around, while Verstappen’s team ended the year third fastest.
However, the pressure isn’t getting to Norris. He continued: “I feel like I’m very relaxed, but in a comfortable way, in a determined way. I feel like I can keep things under control,
“I’m not getting too nervous or too ahead of myself, those kinds of things. I’m very excited. I feel good, I feel good about the team. I think the main thing is I’m just calm with everything. I’m excited, but I’m calm.”
