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Brown: Marko comments about Norris' mental health set F1 back 10-20 years

Zak Brown has responded to Helmut Marko's "inappropriate" comments on Lando Norris

Filip Cleeren
Filip Cleeren
Edited:
Dr. Helmut Marko, Consultant, Red Bull Racing

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal and General Manager, Scuderia Ferrari and Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Lando Norris, McLaren

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Gunter Steiner

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George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

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Mika Hakkinen

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Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari

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Otmar Szafnauer

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Mattia Binotto, CEO and CTO, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

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Danica Patrick

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Jock Clear, Ferrari, Oliver Bearman, Reserve Driver, Ferrari and Haas F1 Team, James Vowles, Team Principal, Williams Racing

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Alex Albon, Williams Racing

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team, Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber, with Romain Grosjean

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
A Ferrari fan in the paddock

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Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team

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Helmets of Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Helmets of Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, in the cockpit

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Red Bull Racing RB20 detail

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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Red Bull RB20 rear suspension detail

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Haas VF-24 detail

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team, in the cockpit

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Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber C44, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Red Bull Racing RB20 detail

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Franco Colapinto, Williams, Gaetan Jego, Williams Racing Race Engineer

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Team VCARB 01

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Team VCARB 01

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
The flag of the United States of America

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team, NASCAR star Jeff Gordon swap helmets

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team, NASCAR star Jeff Gordon swap helmets

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Oliver Oakes, Team Principal, Alpine F1 Team, in the Team Principals Press Conference

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, in the Team Principals Press Conference

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team on stage

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Former NASCAR star Jeff Gordon poses with an Aston Martin Pirelli Hot Laps car

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team

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George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team, Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team, Raoul Spanger, Manager of Nico Hulkenberg

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Leo Neugebauer in the Haas F1 Team garage

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team, with Gene Haas, Owner and Founder, Haas F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

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Mercedes F1 W15 rear suspension detail

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Haas VF-24 rear wing detail

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Franco Colapinto, Williams FW46

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Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-24

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Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15

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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Alex Albon, Williams FW46

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524

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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38

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Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524

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Mattia Binotto, CEO and CTO, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Mick Schumacher, Reserve Driver, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Jeff Gordon

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Mechanics push Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR24

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Alpine mechanic pitlane practice

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Mercedes F1 W15 front wing detail

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, Alex Albon, Williams FW46

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15, Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Team VCARB 01

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday
Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber C44

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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

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Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-24

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Sprint pole man Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

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Sprint pole man Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, celebrates in Parc Ferme

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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, receives his Sprint Qualifyiing Award from Leo Neugebauer, German Track and Field athlete

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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Neugebauer, German Track and Field athlete

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McLaren CEO Zak Brown says Helmut Marko's comments on Lando Norris' perceived "mental weakness" are setting the sport back 10 to 20 years.

In a recent interview with German outlet Motorsport-Magazin, Red Bull advisor Marko weighed up the championship chances of his driver Max Verstappen and McLaren's challenger Norris, and made a blunt assessment of the latter.

"[Max] is the best, he's the fastest and, above all, he has the mental strength to theoretically fight for the world championship more than Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris," Marko said.

"We know Norris has some mental weaknesses. I've read about some of the rituals he needs to do to perform well on race day."

What Marko is likely referring to is Norris' comments at last month's Italian Grand Prix, where the Briton made a frank admission about the nerves he feels ahead of a grand prix.

"I still get so nervous for qualifying and for the races, I still get just as excited and just as nervous," Norris said. "I barely eat anything on Sundays. I struggle to drink anything on Sundays, just because of nerves and just because of pressure.

"I think it's just about how you turn that into a positive thing. How do you not let it affect you in a bad way, and how can you actually use it in a good way, to help you focus on the correct things?"

Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team

Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

When asked about Marko's comments by Motorsport.com, Brown said he was disappointed but not surprised. He also feels the 81-year-old's comments are setting the sport back 10 to 20 years, following the progress that has been made to break the stigma around mental health by various teams and drivers.

"I read Helmut's comments, which I thought were disappointing but not surprising," Brown said. "Lando has been kind of an ambassador for mental health. Toto [Wolff] has spoken about mental health, so I think it's a serious issue that we've tried to talk about and bring to the forefront.

"Poking at that situation I think is pretty inappropriate and kind of sets us back 10-20 years. But it's all fun and 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."

Read Also:

Norris has long been open about the mental health issues he faced when he entered F1, and he and his McLaren team have taken a leading role in the industry by working together with the UK-based mental health charity Mind.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is another high-profile driver who has openly spoken about his life-long battle with depression and anxiety, comments which were welcomed by Mind, and so has his Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.

"I have struggled so badly with these things, for months not being able to have a clear thought, but I came to the realisation that it comes with a lot of advantages," Wolff told Sky Sports F1. "I call it a superpower. This is what I want to give people that have mental health issues as a hope."

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