Lando Norris says he won't cave to Max Verstappen's on-track aggressiveness in his bid for the 2025 drivers' championship.
"I need to get my elbows out, and I need to show that I'm not going to willingly give him any positions, those kind of things," Norris said, according to ESPN's Nate Saunders. "But I also have to be a smart driver. You have to be a smart driver to go up against Max."
Norris added that he doesn't need to "take any unnecessary risks" or "prove something" to Verstappen.
Norris and Verstappen came to blows multiple times over the course of the 2024 campaign, with controversial incidents in Austria, Austin, and Mexico. The British driver came out worse on most of those occasions, as he was forced to retire in Austria and surrendered his podium place to Verstappen in Austin. His clash with Verstappen in Mexico likely cost him an opportunity for victory.
Verstappen went on to win the 2024 drivers' title despite winning only two of the final 14 races. Norris finished as runner-up and ended the season on a high with a victory in Abu Dhabi as McLaren clinched the constructors' crown.
"I don't think you have to do anything special to try and beat Max," Norris explained. "He's quick, he's aggressive, he's one of the best ever. The easy way is just going out and being a bit quicker than him and staying ahead. That's the obvious plan, but I know, I've just got to be smart. That's the answer to it all. You have to be smart, and you have to position the car well and also think of the long game sometimes."
Norris, who won four races in 2024, is expecting competition from others and predicts it won't just be the reigning four-time Dutch champion he has to worry about.
"I don't think Max is going to be just the guy," Norris added, per ESPN. "I think it's going to be everyone."
McLaren revealed its 2025 challenger, the MCL39, on Thursday. The Australian Grand Prix will kick off the upcoming season from March 14-16.
