Lando Norris has revealed the calculated approach he proposes to employ against Max Verstappen after losing out on the Formula 1 title to the Dutchman last year.
McLaren emerged as the leading contender last season, mid-way through the year, as the 2024 Miami Grand Prix saw Norris beat Verstappen to land his maiden F1 win.
But despite struggling to cope with the RB20’s inherent gremlins, the Dutchman was able to claim his fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship with two rounds to spare.
Verstappen’s triumph was due in part to a flurry of early-season wins (seven out of the first 10 races). That said, he made life tough for Norris on track during their wheel-to-wheel battles.
The Briton’s efforts to pass Verstappen often ended in misery for the McLaren driver. For instance, incidents in Austria, Austin and Mexico saw Norris drop valuable points.
This season, however, Norris has found himself with a competitive car right off the bat. Yet, he expects to square off against Verstappen, who cannot be counted out of the championship race despite trying to pull results out of an ailing RB21.
This makes fighting the Dutchman, who will stalk Norris like a wounded lion, an even more treacherous prospect. Norris,though, has learned his lessons from the past and now knows when to pick his battles.
“When you’re racing for wins, championships, against the best in the world, you can never expect things to be easy,” he told the BBC.
“You learn in go-karting that you can’t at all easily overtake around the outside. That is like a rule number one. But it can be done, and it will be done.”
“The number one goal for us is always to finish. Sometimes, when you try too hard, things can go wrong.
“You might end up not finishing the race, even though you might be in the right. So sometimes you’ve got to take the safer approach.”
Norris respects Verstappen despite explosive clashes
Last season not only tested Norris’ mettle against a driver of Verstappen’s calibre and mentality on track, but also his friendship with the four-time F1 champion.
In the past, the Briton has criticised Verstappen’s aggressive driving style – something that he has fallen victim to on many occasions.
After Verstappen received two 10-second time penalties for his moves on Norris at the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix, the latter had termed the Dutchman’s driving style as “not very clean”. However, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t respect what the 27-year-old has achieved so far in the sport.
“I’ve said it many times, I have a lot of respect for Max. The driver he is, the person he is, what he stands for all of the time. And what he’s achieved, his four World Championships,” he clarified.
“That’s four more than me, and he’s had a lot more race wins than me. I admire those stats, those performances.”
And while Norris might alter his level of aggression going into his future battles with Verstappen, he doesn’t expect or even demand the Dutchman to mend his ways in accordance with Norris’ own driving philosophy.
“Everyone does what they believe is right. And they race for themselves. Some may be more aggressive than others. But everyone has flaws. I have them. Maybe he has them.”
“I race in the aggressive way I believe is correct, and he does the same. The stewards are the ones who decide what is right and wrong.”
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