McLaren CEO Zak Brown has branded Helmut Marko’s declaration that Lando Norris holds “mental weaknesses” that can be exploited in Formula 1 as “inappropriate”.
Norris has capitalised on McLaren’s status as the benchmark team on the grid in recent times to emerge as a threat to Max Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship.
However, the Briton has an uphill task to take a maiden title this season as Red Bull’s dominant start to the campaign sees Verstappen still hold a 52-point advantage.
Earlier this week, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko backed Verstappen to protect his lead over the remaining six events as he cast scepticism on Norris’ mental resolve.
“We know Norris has some mental weaknesses,” Marko told Motorsport Magazin. “I’ve read about some of the rituals he needs to do to perform well on race day.”
But with Norris having been open about the struggles that he has endured with mental health in racing, Brown has raised an issue with the words that Marko adopted.
“I read Helmut’s comments, which I thought were disappointing but not surprising,” Brown told media including Motorsport Week.
“Lando has been kind of an ambassador for mental health.
“Toto’s [Wolff] spoken about mental health, so I think it’s a serious issue that we’ve tried to talk about, to bring to the forefront, make it okay to talk about.
“So maybe choose poking at that situation I think is pretty inappropriate. It kind of sets us back 10-20 years.
“But it’s all funny games in how some people go racing and what tactics they use from a sporting perspective. But I thought that one was in pretty poor taste.”
Red Bull comments don’t impact Norris
Meanwhile, McLaren’s choice to prioritise Norris over team-mate Oscar Piastri prompted Verstappen to argue that the Australian is “too good” to act in a support role.
Asked whether such comments impacted the British driver, Brown replied: “No, not at all. I saw Max’s comments.
“I like Max, I like Max a lot. We’ve had some good chats this year, so I think that’s all part of the sport.
“Lando doesn’t have any issue with it. I don’t have any issue with it.”
Norris relishing title pressure
Brown is adamant that Norris is relishing the increased pressure on his shoulders as he endeavours to overturn the biggest deficit ever in F1 to win the championship.
“Lando’s very excited for these final six races and the Sprints, “he added. “He’s as focused as ever.
“He comes into the race weekends like Oscar and like I would imagine all the Grand Prix drivers.
“Very focused on the job at hand, sitting down with his engineers, doing his commercial work, his media work, relaxing, etc. So he’s very focused.”
READ MORE: Helmut Marko: Lando Norris has ‘mental weaknesses’ Max Verstappen can exploit
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