P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has branded Helmut Marko’s declaration that Lando Norris holds “mental weaknesses” that can be exploited in F1 as “inappropriate”.
Norris has taken advantage of McLaren’s strong performance to pose a threat to Max Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship, but he faces a tough challenge due to Red Bull’s dominant start giving Verstappen a 52-point lead. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko expressed doubts about Norris’ mental strength, referencing specific rituals he performs before racing. McLaren CEO Zak Brown criticized Marko’s comments, noting Norris’s advocacy for mental health and calling the remarks inappropriate and backward. Despite Max Verstappen suggesting that Oscar Piastri is too good to be a support driver, Brown and Norris remain unfazed by such comments, staying focused on the championship battle. Brown believes Norris is embracing the pressure and is fully focused on the task ahead of him in the remaining races.
