McLaren CEO Disagrees with Alan Jones’ Assessment of Lando Norris

In a recent interview with Fox Sports Australia, 1980 F1 world champion Alan Jones criticized McLaren driver Lando Norris, labeling him as “mentally weak.” Jones suggested that fellow Australian Oscar Piastri could win the title this year due to Norris’ perceived mental weakness.

McLaren CEO Strongly Disagrees with Jones’ Comments on Norris

When asked about Jones’ comments at the Miami Grand Prix, McLaren CEO Zak Brown strongly disagreed, explaining that Norris uses his overt self-criticism as a tool to perform. “I think it’s all a way for them to get it out of their system and move on,” Brown said.

Brown also pointed out that athletes express their achievements in different ways, and that Norris’ openness about his performance is simply one method he uses to cope. He added that he understands why Jones might have this view but disagreed with the assessment.

Norris Struggled Compared to Piastri in 2025 Car

In response to a question about Norris’ approach to regaining his confidence in driving the MCL39, Brown suggested that Norris should stop striving for perfection and instead focus on doing the best he can. He pointed out that no driver has ever achieved a perfect lap and that striving for perfection can be counterproductive.

Brown also noted that Norris had done a great job leading the championship up until the last race, and that he had as good a chance as anyone at pole position and winning the races. He added that the key to success was to focus on doing the best one could without setting unrealistic expectations.

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