Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris reveal why the team is always more important than the driver at McLaren—even in the title race. Papaya Rules Explained: Why McLaren puts the team above everything else
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris reveal why the team is always more important than the driver at McLaren—even in the title race.
After the Italian Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris reiterated that at McLaren, the team comes before the drivers—even when it comes to chasing a world championship title. The two explain why they accept the “Papaya Rules” without resistance and what role McLaren’s culture plays in this.
Piastri makes it clear that he prioritizes the long-term perspective over short-term success: “We have often said that we don’t just want to be successful this year. There are big rule changes coming next year—no one knows how competitive we will be then. We want to have the best chances for as long as we are in Formula 1.”
For the Australian, that means protecting the people in the team who make this success possible. “That includes the crew in the pits. It’s not a nice feeling when mistakes happen. That’s why it’s important to protect the people who put us in this position in the first place. It’s easy for me to take a back seat in a situation like this – Lando was already a few seconds ahead anyway. It’s not just about this year, it’s about the future.“
Norris agrees: ”That was nicely put, I don’t really have anything to add. The team is the priority. The team comes first, then the drivers. That’s how it works. Teams that don’t uphold respect for the team usually don’t enjoy long-lasting success – whether it’s Red Bull, Ferrari or Mercedes. We want to stay at the top for longer.“
McLaren is currently only in its second season fighting for race wins, but the drivers want to maintain the spirit that has made the upswing possible. ”Without the team, we’re fighting for tenth place, and none of us want that,“ said Norris. ”Morale and team spirit are the top priority, and we drivers are behind that.”
After the Italian Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris reiterated that at McLaren, the team comes before the drivers – even when it comes to chasing a world championship title. The two explain why they accept the “papaya rules” without resistance and what role McLaren culture plays in this.
Piastri makes it clear that he prioritizes the long-term perspective over short-term success: “We have often said that we don’t just want to be successful this year. There are big rule changes coming next year—no one knows how competitive we will be then. We want to have the best chances for as long as we are in Formula 1.”
For the Australian, that means protecting the people in the team who make this success possible. “That includes the crew in the pits. It’s not a nice feeling when mistakes happen. That’s why it’s important to protect the people who put us in this position in the first place. It’s easy for me to take a back seat in a situation like this – Lando was a few seconds ahead anyway. It’s not just about this year, it’s about the future.“
Norris agrees: ”That was nicely put, I don’t really have anything to add. The team is the priority. The team comes first, then the drivers. That’s how it works. Teams that don’t uphold respect for the team usually don’t enjoy long-lasting success – whether it’s Red Bull, Ferrari or Mercedes. We want to stay at the top for longer.“
McLaren is currently only in its second season in the fight for race wins, but the drivers want to maintain the spirit that made the upswing possible. ”Without the team, we’re fighting for tenth place, and none of us want that,“ said Norris. ”Morale and team spirit are the top priority, and we drivers are behind that.”
