Oscar Piastri explains McLaren’s ‘papaya rules’

Formula 1 world championship leader Oscar Piastri clarified McLaren’s much-talked-about “papaya rules” on Thursday, as he and his teammate Lando Norris compete for the drivers’ championship.

Speaking in a interview with Autosport, the Australian driver said, “There’s always been a lot more made out of the papaya rules than what there actually is. It’s literally one rule, which is: don’t crash into each other.“

He added that this is an unspoken rule for every team on the grid, and McLaren’s main priority has been to be open and avoid surprising their drivers with unexpected instructions.

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Piastri currently holds a narrow nine-point lead over Norris, having amassed 284 points with six race wins and 12 podium finishes this season. The two drivers have been praised for their aggressive but clean racing, a dynamic that has sparked debate among pundits and fans about whether the team would eventually favour one driver over the other.

“Things become difficult when you don’t expect something to happen,” Piastri explained, highlighting that McLaren’s proactive approach has been a key strength. He noted that the team addressed the possibility of a championship fight early in the season, knowing their improved car could contend for both the constructors’ and drivers’ titles.

Despite their preparation, Piastri — who won the F2 and F3 titles in his rookie seasons — acknowledged that they are still learning and that unpredictable situations will arise. “We addressed it early, we spoke about it, but we’re still going to be learning,” he said.

“There will be situations where you can’t always predict. But I think we have done as good a job as we can to be proactive rather than reactive.”