The concept of “Papaya Rules” emerged in 2024 as a shorthand for McLaren’s policy of letting Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri race hard but respectfully, summed up by CEO Zak Brown as: “Race each other respectfully, and give each other enough room and don’t touch each other.”
But after controversy at last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, where Piastri was ordered to give back second place to Norris following a slow pit stop for the Briton, questions resurfaced about whether the rules unfairly favour one driver.
Norris, who was booed on the Monza podium, rejected that idea.
“There are no Papaya Rules anymore,” he told DAZN. “We’ve never had them.”
Norris clarified that while a document detailing rules for racing between the pair existed, it was far less elaborate than some had claimed.
“It’s not even a page long, actually,” he explained.
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“The important thing is it says: Fair. And this covers many things, fairness for me and for Oscar.
“I don’t choose that these things happen. We don’t care what’s happened in the past, but we do what we think is right for us.”
The flashpoint came when Norris lost time to a wheel nut issue during his stop, dropping behind Piastri.
McLaren then instructed the Australian to swap positions, restoring the order from before the pit stop problem.
Norris defended the move as consistent with pre-agreed team discussions.
“It’s not what I want nor what the team wants. It makes things complicated, and complicated the positions,” Norris said.
“But it’s what we all as a team, both drivers, decided was the right thing to do if it happened.
“It had to be corrected. If it had happened to Oscar, we would have done exactly the same.”
Piastri initially questioned the call but ultimately yielded, later saying he understood the reasoning.
“I think for the long term it was the best decision,” he explained.
“Lando has been ahead of me all weekend and I understand the decision and that’s why I did the swap almost immediately. We still have things to discuss, but for me there was no problem.”
The outcome meant Norris secured second place, with Piastri third, trimming the 24-year-old’s championship lead to 31 points with eight races remaining.
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