The ultimate test for McLaren's "papaya rules"

(Motorsport-Total.com) - Will McLaren's promise of fairness stand up to the increasingly heated title fight?

The occasional friction between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris - and their McLaren team - last year was just a taste of what has already happened in 2025, and what is still to come: Max Verstappen is edging ever closer , and McLaren has a lot to lose - the drivers' title.

Unlike last year, when Norris chased Verstappen's lead in the second half of the season and McLaren had to balance its equality mantra with the practical need to prioritize Norris over Piastri, this time it is a direct duel between the two McLaren drivers.

This situation is new territory for Piastri and Norris. Tensions and pressure will inevitably increase—and thus subject McLaren's internal regulations to the ultimate stress test.

The showdown is approaching, and the pressure is mounting. In the first 17 races of the season, McLaren has managed its drivers impeccably, smoothed over friction, and maintained the relationship of trust with Norris and Piastri. The now-infamous "Papaya Rules" have so far been as efficient as the MCL39 itself, allowing the team to celebrate its second consecutive Constructors' title – six Grands Prix (and three sprints) before the end of the season.

But there remains a challenge that McLaren must face – a test that begins now, if it hasn't already begun in Singapore. Because in Formula 1, every aspect is pushed to the limit. Margins of tolerance don't exist in this motorsport category. The maxim is to squeeze out every last nuance of performance.

It is against this background that the "Papaya Rules" should be viewed: a set of rules that McLaren's new era demands of its drivers (and others) - a kind of code of conduct based on fair play that at the same time allows drivers to race freely against each other.

In practice, Norris and Piastri are being monitored by two parties: the race stewards and the team itself, which evaluates and decides – as we saw several times this year and last year. So far, this has been successful from a team perspective; the drivers have complied, and the constructors' title is in the bag .

How the title fight has escalated before

But Formula 1 history teaches us that the greatest friction occurs when two title contenders reach the decisive phase: the point of no return, where there is no time to recover. In this final phase, the willingness to push boundaries often increases; there are numerous examples of drivers resorting to tactics and maneuvers that went beyond the generally accepted in their pursuit of the title.

At the risk of inflaming the fan base, let me name a few: Michael Schumacher against Jacques Villeneuve in Jerez in 1997 and against Damon Hill in Adelaide in 1994; Ayrton Senna against Alain Prost in Suzuka in 1990.

Equally relevant, especially in the context of Singapore, is the example of the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix, when Senna and Prost – then teammates at McLaren – collided in the Suzuka chicane.

"Senna - does he have something up his sleeve or is he trying something desperate?" pondered James Hunt shortly before in the BBC commentary.

It was clearly the latter. The physics of the maneuver were simple: Senna made a late cut on the inside, forcing Prost to let him pass—or they would collide.

What lessons McLaren draws from the past

"Every time we start our discussions with the drivers, we remember as a premise: This is difficult," said McLaren team boss Andrea Stella in Singapore.

"Because it's the only area where, when you race against each other as a team, you can't have exactly the same interest in both drivers - because they want to pursue their own goals."

"And that's a fundamental principle of our approach at McLaren: We want to protect this 'let them drive' concept. We realize that there are difficulties with this concept. With that awareness, you have to be thorough and proceed with integrity."

"I'm very proud of how Lando and Oscar have been part of this process so far, because if we've been able to navigate through this difficult part of the race, it's because we have Lando and Oscar on board. They've contributed tremendously, and that's why it's been successful so far. And we'll work hard to ensure that continues for the rest of the season and the years to come."

Do the papaya rules just make things more complicated?

However, in the coming races, events beyond the team's control may affect the overall standings. Everyone is hoping for a finale in which Piastri and Norris battle it out point by point—until the checkered flag in Abu Dhabi.

In terms of pressure, the closer we get to the end of the season, the more electrifying the atmosphere becomes. Drivers will no longer just be focused on individual race results, but primarily on World Championship points, which will inevitably become their sole objective.

In this context, the application of the "papaya rules" could prove far more complicated than before. Imagining a repeat of Monza—when Piastri obeyed a team order and ceded his position to Norris—in a hypothetical (but possible) season finale in Abu Dhabi is far from guaranteed.

Trust is multidimensional here: Piastri and Norris must trust each other on the track - and they must be able to trust that the team is acting absolutely fairly.

In the case of Prost versus Senna at McLaren, the relationship broke down completely because first the trust between the two vanished - and then each suspected that the team favored the other.

Team boss Stella relies on precision

"We need to maintain a higher level of sophistication and attention to detail because there are so many factors to consider," Stella explained.

"And we have to make sure we don't jump to conclusions too quickly. We have to be precise because there's a lot at stake—not just the championship points, but also our drivers' confidence in how we work as a team."

"And that is, if anything, even more fundamental than the points themselves. That's why we will exercise the necessary rigor and conduct all necessary discussions."