Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko has shared his views on the ongoing battle for the 2024 Formula 1 drivers’ championship between McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. While Norris has emerged as a strong contender this season, Marko believes the young Briton lacks the mental stability to dominate a championship in the same way Verstappen has.
Norris has had a breakthrough season, securing his first win in Miami and adding three victories and 11 podiums to his record. Despite this, Marko remains confident that Verstappen will win the title, citing the Dutchman’s mental fortitude as a decisive factor.
“He’s 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.”
With six races remaining in the season, Norris trails Verstappen by 52 points. Despite McLaren’s impressive form this year, Marko’s comments highlight his belief that Norris may struggle to maintain the mental toughness required to win a championship.
Meanwhile, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has downplayed any immediate expectations of the team securing a title this season, despite leading the Constructors’ Championship by 41 points. Stella emphasized the importance of continuously improving the MCL38 to stay ahead of the competition, warning that if the team doesn’t keep up their momentum, rivals will close the gap.
“It doesn’t change our attitude,” Stella stated. “We are people with feet on the ground. We will keep our feet on the ground and try and actually add more and more speed to the car because we want to stay in this privileged position. But if we don’t improve, the others are going to pass us.”
McLaren’s consistent performance has brought them closer to a potential historic triumph, but with Verstappen’s resilience and Red Bull’s backing, Norris will need to prove he has both the speed and the mental strength to challenge for his first Formula 1 title.
