Zak Brown pushes back after Alan Jones questions Lando Norris’ mindset, praising his openness and modern approach to mental resilience in F1.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has pushed back against recent comments made by 1980 Formula 1 World Champion Alan Jones, who questioned Lando Norris’ mental toughness and claimed Oscar Piastri is more likely to win a title.
Brown didn’t hide his frustration but kept his response respectful, reminding everyone that Jones doesn’t personally know Norris — and comes from a very different era in the sport.
“First off, I’m a big fan of Alan Jones,” Brown said. “But it’s easy to have opinions about people from the outside. Lando is very open when he speaks, and not all athletes choose to express themselves the same way.”
“Some say nothing. Others talk a lot — and that can be their way of handling pressure. I was recently with Novak Djokovic, and it was fascinating to see how he uses his emotions to fuel his performance.”
“So, no — I don’t agree with what Alan said. But I understand where it might come from. He’s an old-school guy, tough as nails. That’s probably not how he would deal with things, and that’s fine. It’s just one person’s opinion.”
Brown also had some advice for Norris, saying the young driver doesn’t need to chase perfection — he just needs to keep doing what he does best.
“He needs to stop trying to be perfect. Every driver will tell you they’ve never done the perfect lap. What matters is doing the best you can, every time.”
“He drove well yesterday. He was leading the championship up until the last race and now he’s only nine points off. He’s just as capable of taking pole or winning as anyone out there.”
“Perfection isn’t about hitting the absolute limit every time. If you miss a braking point by five centimeters or brake a meter too late — that’s racing.”
“The key is giving your best. Our pit crew can do a stop in 1.8 seconds. Maybe they could hit 1.78. But if you go into every stop thinking ‘I have to hit 1.78,’ you’re going to mess up. You focus on doing your best — that’s what counts.”
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Brown defends Norris after Jones’ mental strength swipe
Brown defends Norris after Jones’ mental strength swipe
