Andrea Stella fiercely criticizes Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko! Last week, the Austrian raised questions about the mental health of Lando Norris; Marko wondered if the McLaren driver has the right mentality to become a world champion. According to Stella, such remarks are far more damaging than Verstappen using the word ‘fucked‘ during a press conference.
“Norris seems mentally less stable,” Helmut Marko claimed in the German Motorsport Magazine. “He needs certain habits to get into the right mindset, while Max is always focused, regardless of the circumstances.” It is unclear exactly what Helmut Marko was referring to, although Norris has spoken openly in the past about nerves leading up to a Grand Prix and other mental challenges.
Stella Criticizes Marko’s Stance on Mental Health in Motorsport
“I think Helmut Marko completely missed the mark,” Stella told Motorsport.com. “He could have also expressed his support for all the steps the sport has taken in the field of mental health over the past decades. That’s so important. I’m actually very proud of what Formula 1 has achieved – it’s fantastic that drivers and athletes dare to talk openly about this. Lando Norris has also openly said that it’s okay not to be okay.”
Worse Than Swearing
“Comments like those of Helmut Marko negate the work of the past twenty years,” Stella explained. “Max Verstappen was recently punished for swearing during a press conference. Personally, I think this is much more serious.” Verstappen received a community service sentence for using the word ‘fucked’ during an official press moment.
According to the McLaren team boss, there are plenty of top athletes and top drivers who struggle with mental problems. “I’ve been working with the best drivers for a long time,” concluded Stella, who worked as an engineer for Michael Schumacher at Ferrari. “Of course he (Schumacher) came across as very confident, but that was due to his relationship with the team. He was certainly not always convinced of his own abilities. The self-confidence came from his work ethic and the realization that he always did his best.”
