After the incident in Canada between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, McLaren has not changed its approach and the “papaya rules” remain unchanged: the drivers are free to fight on track, but with the team as the top priority. However, internal pressure is growing and the margin for error is shrinking, with the Englishman aware of the elements that will decide the title.
McLaren arrives in Austria as the favorite because the Red Bull Ring suits the MCL39 well, something Lando Norris did not hide ahead of the first of the four races before the summer break and the halfway point of the championship.
The high temperatures and a mix of quite varied corners make the Austrian circuit an ideal hunting ground for McLaren. However, before focusing on the weekend, the media and fans turned their attention to what happened two weeks ago: the incident between the two papaya drivers, for which Norris did not hesitate to take responsibility.
Perhaps this is the factor that has helped keep tensions low for now. Since the beginning of the year, Andrea Stella has managed the situation, trying to maintain a fair and correct approach towards both drivers, to the point of perhaps missing some opportunities to be more aggressive, as happened in Japan.
It was precisely that immediate and direct admission of fault that probably contributed to McLaren not changing the rules of engagement after the incident in the final stages of the Canadian GP, a collision that put Norris out of the race and risked more serious consequences for Piastri. Fortunately, the Australian managed to finish fourth without punctures or significant damage.
Piastri explained that the so-called “papaya rules” — the internal policy regulating how the two can battle on track — will remain unchanged. “What happened in Canada was not ideal. But we are free to race, we are both fighting for the championship, so we will continue racing and of course make sure we don’t come into contact again.”
The Australian said they spoke immediately after the race, finding a meeting point. “Lando took responsibility and apologized, so all is good,” said Piastri, who believes McLaren is maintaining a correct internal approach. “Obviously it’s not easy to manage, but in a way it’s a nice problem to have.”
“The most important thing for both was that everything remained as fair as possible, in every aspect. Sure, there are situations that can’t be completely fair, like strategy when there is only one garage available, or other factors, but this remains the most relevant aspect for both.”
“Rule number one, written or unwritten, is that two cars from the same team must not collide: that’s the point. What we have done well this year, before Canada, was to recognize that contact is always a possibility. I believe we have managed it the right way.”
Norris did not want to go into too much detail about the conversations with Andrea Stella and the McLaren team after the Canada incident, but he stressed that the episode strengthened the team. “There was good understanding from me on everything, and I explained it to the team. I think I made it clear from the start that I misjudged the situation and took responsibility for the mistake.”
“Obviously, these were not pleasant conversations, but they were necessary. We all know what rule number one is, and it will continue to be. The trust and honesty that Oscar and I have for each other are fundamental, and it’s important to maintain them, because we don’t want to end up in the negative spiral that other teams have fallen into in the past.”
Norris admitted it took him some time to get over the incident, but assured he has moved on and is ready to fight for victory again, on a track where he has been fast and competitive in the past. “My team means everything to me. These were difficult days, but I also think I have improved in handling moments like these. Talking with Andrea, with my team, and trying to move on as quickly as possible is fundamental.”
However, it is clear that mistakes weigh heavily: in this first part of the championship, Norris’ errors have certainly been more numerous than those of his teammate, who has shown himself to be cooler under pressure, preferring to secure the result.
For Lando Norris, the roots of the Canada incident already lie in a qualifying error, which forced him to start from the fourth row despite potentially having better pace, considering the difficulties Oscar Piastri had faced up to that point in the weekend. Beyond the incident, the point is that Norris’ imprecisions have often put Piastri in an advantageous position.
Oscar Piastri has not been flawless either behind the wheel of a 2025 car that has proven difficult to drive, but he has maintained a more consistent performance in the championship. As Norris rightly pointed out, in a battle that now seems to be between two, the title will be decided by the number of mistakes made and the ability to best manage race weekends.
“I have made more mistakes and have been behind, so I think it’s obvious. It’s very tight between us. Oscar has definitely been a bit more comfortable than me this season, and that’s how things are. I have had to try to improve and make a bigger step up than in the past, simply because of the difficulties I’ve had with the car this year. But it is also my job to drive whatever car I am given.”
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