Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s senior advisor, recently denied making any offensive comments about Lando Norris’ mental health, countering accusations from McLaren leadership. Marko’s initial comments, published by *Motorsport Magazin*, suggested Norris had “mental weaknesses” compared to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, a claim that did not sit well with McLaren CEO Zak Brown and team principal Andrea Stella. Both perceived Marko’s words as a slight on mental health, particularly considering Norris’ role as a mental health advocate. Brown expressed disappointment in Marko’s remarks, calling them inappropriate and suggesting they undermined efforts to bring mental health awareness into the spotlight.
Brown highlighted the importance of addressing mental health issues in Formula 1, citing not only Norris’ advocacy but also remarks made by Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. He emphasized how crucial it is to make mental health an open topic within the sport and criticized Marko’s comments as outdated, stating they set back the progress made in the past two decades. Meanwhile, Stella echoed Brown’s concerns, arguing that Marko’s words were more damaging than any incident involving foul language, referencing recent tensions between Verstappen and the FIA over swearing in Singapore.
Marko, however, defended his remarks, claiming that his comments were not about Norris’ mental health, but rather about Norris being a poor starter in races. He asserted that his intention was to contrast Norris’ racecraft with Verstappen’s mental strength and resilience, rather than to make any claims about mental health. Furthermore, Marko accused McLaren of deliberately twisting his words and causing unnecessary unrest, suggesting that Zak Brown had a habit of stirring trouble within the Formula 1 paddock.
In addition to this off-track drama, McLaren had another reason for frustration after the United States Grand Prix. Norris received a five-second penalty during his battle with Verstappen for third place, which McLaren felt was undeserved. Despite both drivers running off-track during the maneuver, Norris was penalized for gaining an advantage by rejoining ahead of Verstappen. McLaren principal Stella labeled the FIA’s intervention as inappropriate, though Marko disagreed, asserting that the penalty was in line with the rules.
Finally, Marko praised Verstappen’s performance at the United States Grand Prix, suggesting that the Dutch driver would have secured the podium finish even without Norris’ penalty. Despite the understeering issues with his car and tire degradation, Verstappen’s race execution was flawless, with Marko affirming that the move on Norris was hard but fair. With this result, Verstappen extended his lead over Norris in the Drivers’ Championship to 57 points, as the season enters its final five rounds.
