Better to have change of heart and drive off (5)
I believe the answer is:
expel
'better' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both related to competing as well as being verbs in their base form.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for expel that I've seen before include "Drive away" , "Put out" , "Drive out - dispossess" , "Throw out" , "Drive out with force" .)