Oscar Piastri has confirmed that McLaren has clarified how the team’s internal regulations, known as ‘papaya rules’, will influence the championship battle with his teammate Lando Norris. The clarification follows a controversial position swap that occurred during the recent Italian Grand Prix, where Piastri was instructed to relinquish second place to Norris after a slow pit stop late in the race altered their standings.
Throughout most of the race, Norris had been ahead of Piastri until the pit stop incident prompted McLaren officials to decide it would be fair for the teammates to swap their final positions, given that neither faced any real threat from competitors behind them. This decision, however, caused ripples within the F1 community, with opinions divided on whether it was appropriate. Piastri himself expressed confusion over the timing of the swap, stating on the team radio that a slow pit stop is simply part of racing.
Despite the swap denting his standings in the driver’s championship, Piastri maintained that he and Norris are in charge of their outcomes in the season. He suggested that with the discussions held since Monza, the team is aligned on how to approach racing moving forward, although he chose not to disclose specific strategies to avoid tipping off rivals.
Furthermore, Piastri acknowledged that the decision to swap positions involved more than just the pit stop, indicating that the order in which drivers pitted also played a role. He reiterated his agreement with the team’s decisions while expressing that he did not deserve to finish second in that race due to his lack of consistent pace.
Despite some criticisms aimed at McLaren and the favouritism perceived towards Norris, Piastri remains focused on the upcoming races. He enjoyed a significant points lead over his rivals but admitted that his performance at Monza was below his usual standards. Maintaining his stance on the radio comments, Piastri remains committed to delivering better results and looks forward to the challenges ahead, feeling optimistic about their plans for the remainder of the season.