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McLaren chief Zak Brown criticized Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko for making comments he considered to be in poor taste and a setback for Formula One. Marko had suggested that McLaren driver Lando Norris, who is competing for the championship, had “mental weaknesses” compared to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. He pointed to Norris’s pre-race routines as evidence of this claim.
At 24, Norris has been an advocate for mental health, making Marko’s remarks particularly contentious. Although Norris is Verstappen’s closest competitor, he trails by 52 points with six races left in the season.
“I saw what Helmut said, and while I found it disappointing, I wasn’t surprised. Lando has been a strong voice for mental health awareness,” Brown commented during a press conference at the U.S. Grand Prix. Brown emphasized that other leaders in the sport, including Mercedes’ Toto Wolff, have also spoken about the importance of mental health, making Marko’s remarks especially troubling.
“Mocking mental health issues isn’t appropriate and feels like a step back by 10 to 20 years,” Brown added. Despite the comments, he noted that Norris remains focused and eager to finish the season strong.
Marko, who is 81 and known for making controversial statements, has faced backlash before. Last year, he had to apologize after suggesting that Red Bull driver Sergio Perez’s inconsistent performance was due to his Mexican heritage, which caused an outcry in Mexico and online.