SILVERSTONE, England – Lando Norris has committed to driving competitively and aggressively against Max Verstappen as they prepare to reignite their rivalry in the upcoming Formula 1 season.

Norris emerged as Verstappen’s primary competitor last year when the Dutch driver secured his fourth consecutive championship title, following a series of intense and at times contentious encounters on the track.

“I need to be assertive (against Verstappen) and demonstrate that I am not ready to concede any positions. At the same time, I have to be strategic. To compete with Max effectively, being smart is essential,” Norris remarked on Thursday during the unveiling of McLaren’s 2025 car.

The driver expressed his desire to learn from the mistakes made last season and admitted his self-reflection after reviewing his performance was quite critical. “When I looked back at some of my driving last year, I thought to myself, ‘what an idiot,'” he recalled.

Nevertheless, Norris emphasized that there is no necessity to prove anything to Verstappen. “I don’t need to take unnecessary chances. To beat Max, you don’t need any gimmicks. He’s incredibly quick, aggressive, and among the best in the sport’s history, but the most effective way to overcome him is to simply outperform him and maintain the lead,” he asserted.

Reflecting on last season, Norris noted that McLaren struggled to keep pace during the early races but made significant improvements with a car upgrade for the Miami Grand Prix in May. He acknowledged that Verstappen’s dominating mindset and substantial lead made competition tough, yet he anticipates that the championship dynamics could shift this season if he and McLaren can start strong.

The preseason testing is set to take place from February 26 to 28 in Bahrain, with the season’s first race occurring at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 16.