Tensions between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen show no signs of easing as Norris takes a swipe at his rival ahead of the 2025 season.
โI need to get my elbows out (against Verstappen) and show I am not willing to give him any positions,โ Norris said, speaking at the launch of the MCL39 at Silverstone.
โBut at the same time, I want to say that I don't need to go out and just prove something to him.โ
On-track clashes last season, particularly at the Austrian and British GPs, appear to have strained what was once a friendship between Norris and Verstappen.
While Verstappen ended last season caught up in another war of words with George Russell, he also touched on his escalating tensions with Norris following penalties for aggressive driving at the Mexican Grand Prix.
โLando and I get along very wellโฆ Of course, sometimes the situation got a bit tense on track, but outside of it, that shouldn't matter,โ Verstappen said on Red Bull's Talking Bull podcast after the incident.
Verstappen closed out the season by securing his fourth Driver's Championship title, while Norris had to settle for second place.
โI don't think you have to do anything special to try and beat Max,โ Norris said on Thursday.
โHe's quick, he's aggressive, he's one of the best ever.โ
โThe easy way is just going out and being a bit quicker than him and staying ahead. That's the obvious plan.โ
Norris' 2025 season looks promising, with him and teammate Oscar Piastri fresh off securing McLaren's first Constructors' title since 1998.
The season kicks off on February 26 in Bahrain for testing, followed by the first official GP in Melbourne on March 14.
