Helmut Marko scolded for ‘inappropriate’ comments about Lando Norris’ mental health care

Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has come under fire for comments about McLaren driver Lando Norris. The comments, which have been branded ‘inappropriate’ by McLaren CEO Zak Brown, have raised questions about mental health awareness in Formula 1, a topic that has gained significant popularity in recent years.

During an interview with German Motorsport Magazin, as quoted by Autosport, Marko made a comparison between Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s Norris, saying:

“(Max) is the best, he is the fastest and above all he has the mental strength to theoretically fight for the world championship more than Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris.

“We know that Norris has some mental weaknesses. I have read about some rituals he has to do to perform well on race day.”

The response was immediate and remarkable. Zak Brown didn’t mince his words when addressing Marko’s comments.

“I read Helmut’s comments, which I thought were disappointing but not surprising. Lando has been something of an ambassador for mental health. Toto (Wolff) has spoken about mental health, so I think it’s a serious issue that we have tried to discuss and bring forward.

“It’s quite inappropriate to poke at that situation and it sets us back ten to twenty years. But it’s all fun and games in the way some people go about racing and what tactics they use from a sporting perspective, but I thought that was the case. rather bad taste.”

Lando Norris has often spoken candidly about his struggles with nerves and mental health issues, something that adds seriousness to Marko’s casual comments. The McLaren driver has previously explained:

“I still get so nervous before qualifying and before the races, I still get just as excited and just as nervous,” said Norris. “On Sundays I hardly eat anything. On Sundays I struggle to drink anything, just because of the nerves and just because of the pressure.

“I think it’s about how you can turn that into something positive. How do you make sure it doesn’t affect you in a bad way, and how can you actually use it in a good way so that you can focus on the right things concentrate?”

The McLaren team, in partnership with UK charity Mind, continues to promote conversations about mental health within sport and joins a wider movement against stigma. The Woking team is also not the only one to speak out about mental health issues. Others from the sport calling for open conversations about mental health include seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes chief Toto Wolff and Hamilton’s teammate George Russell.