McLaren signals ‘papaya rules’ will continue after championship breakthrough

McLaren appears set to carry its controversial but successful driver equality philosophy into the future after a landmark Formula 1 season that delivered both drivers’ and constructors’ championships for the first time since 1998.

Chief executive Zak Brown offered the strongest indication yet that the team’s so-called “papaya rules” will remain in place beyond its title-winning 2025 campaign, signaling continued equal treatment for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri as McLaren looks ahead to the 2026 season.

The team’s return to the top of the sport was emphatic. McLaren secured the constructors’ championship with six races remaining, reestablishing itself as the grid’s dominant force after years of rebuilding. The drivers’ title, however, unfolded as a tightly contested fight that went down to the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

Norris ultimately claimed the championship by a narrow two-point margin over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, becoming the first McLaren driver to win the title since Lewis Hamilton in 2008 and the 11th British world champion in Formula 1 history. Piastri remained a consistent presence throughout the season, frequently trading momentum with his teammate as McLaren avoided favoring one driver over the other.

That commitment to parity was tested repeatedly, drawing criticism from rivals and observers who argued the team should have prioritized Norris during key moments of the title fight. The Qatar Grand Prix became the focal point of that debate after both McLaren drivers failed to capitalize on a safety car opportunity, allowing Verstappen to claim victory.

Despite those setbacks, McLaren leadership has stood firmly behind its approach. Brown’s comments at the FIA prize-giving gala underscored that the philosophy was not limited to a single season or driven by circumstance. Instead, the team views equal treatment as a foundational principle moving forward.

With Norris now a world champion, Piastri firmly established as a top-tier competitor, and McLaren back on top of the constructors’ standings, the team enters the next phase of its resurgence with clarity about its internal structure. As Formula 1 prepares for further technical and competitive evolution, McLaren appears ready to double down on the strategy that delivered its long-awaited return to championship glory.

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