FILE PHOTO: Oct 18, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; McLaren Formula 1 Team driver Lando Norris (4) of Team Great Britain walks through the paddock area before practice for the 2024 US Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images/File Photo
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - McLaren's Lando Norris has laughed off Red Bull barbs about his perceived mental weaknesses as typical mind games played when a Formula One title is at stake.
Red Bull's motorsport consultant Helmut Marko recently compared the Briton unfavourably to reigning champion Max Verstappen and pointed to pre-race 'rituals' as proof of vulnerability.
Norris told reporters at the U.S. Grand Prix that the Austrian's comments were possibly mistranslated, recognising only a ritual hunger for chicken wraps, and insisted he was not bothered.
"I really don't mind people saying whatever they want to say, good or bad about me. I'm honestly not that fussed. I prefer good things, but it's a game," the 24-year-old said.
"Everyone tries to play their part, whether it's team bosses or drivers or managers, whatever it is. Everyone tries to do it to one another and everyone tries to have their little jabs and comments.
"I think they (Red Bull) are a bit more used to doing it than what we are as a team," added the Briton. "I think we're a bit more of a, yeah, just an honest kind of focused-on-ourselves team.
"Red Bull definitely love a little bit more of that side of trying to play games and stuff and say things."
Norris is Verstappen's closest title rival but is 52 points behind Red Bull's triple world champion with six rounds remaining. The pair are close friends, but fierce rivals on track.
Norris, who is often his own hardest critic, has been an outspoken campaigner for mental health and has spoken out about his own experiences.
He said he was relaxed about the title battle, however.
"This stuff amuses me," he added. "Because a lot of it's just not true. So then you're like, how the hell did someone come up with such a thing?"
Norris said Verstappen, who has now not won for eight races in a row, was one of the most mentally resilient people he knew and "a pretty complete driver".
"I don't think you can try to get into someone's head by just trying to say 'OK, now I'm going to try to get into someone's head'. It doesn't work quite like that," said the winner of three races this season.
"He (Verstappen) has been in this position, he's had a tougher battle for a championship with Lewis (Hamilton) than he has now.
"I think the only way to get in the head is by beating him and beating him consistently."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)
