Lando Norris
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Lando Norris won the 2025 F1 drivers’ title and Oscar Piastri helped to also secure the constructors’ championship, but McLaren’s papaya rules proved rather controversial.
McLaren registered their best season since 1998 last year as they secured both titles, to also retain the constructors’ title for the first time since 1991. Norris becoming the 11th Briton to win the F1 drivers’ championship even meant he handed McLaren their first title since 2008.
The Woking crew rode the wave of their strong start to the 2025 season to clinch both titles, with Piastri achieving third place in the drivers’ championship with only a 13-point deficit to Norris. McLaren lifted the 2025 constructors’ title with six rounds to spare in Singapore, too.
But despite Norris and Piastri both scoring seven Grand Prix wins across the 24 rounds, how McLaren imposed their papaya rules did not sit well with some onlookers. McLaren tried to treat their drivers equally as they fought for the 2025 title, but not everyone agreed with it.
Prove me wrong: McLaren do not need to change their papaya rules for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
Will Courtenay could ‘revolutionise’ McLaren’s papaya rules after defecting from Red Bull
Many point to Monza as the moment that papaya rules went too far, as McLaren told Piastri to give P2 back to Norris in the Italian Grand Prix. McLaren had told Norris that Piastri would not undercut him if he let his teammate pit first, but he emerged behind after a slower stop.
READ MORE: Who is McLaren’s new sporting director Will Courtenay? All you need to know
But McLaren’s papaya rules might change in 2026, as the Woking outfit have now welcomed their new sporting director Will Courtenay as Red Bull have finally agreed to his release. The Briton officially joined McLaren on January 2 after agreeing to the move in September 2024.
Courtenay was head of strategy at Red Bull, where he worked since the Milton Keynes outfit were still Jaguar in 2003. And Pit Lane Chronicle reports that Courtenay’s switch to McLaren might ‘revolutionise’ how they race after Norris and Piastri had to ‘obey’ their papaya rules.
Unlike McLaren who favour parity between their drivers, Red Bull have a clear No1 driver in Max Verstappen. Courtenay must now adapt his approach to suit McLaren’s style, but there remains a big chance that he will introduce new ethos based on his experiences at Red Bull.
Will Courtenay was at the heart of Red Bull’s No1 driver stance with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen
How the Drivers’ Championship would’ve looked without THAT swap in Monza…🤯
Should Max Verstappen feel aggrieved that Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri swapping places in Monza may have been the difference in the Drivers' Championship?
Red Bull have had a clear No1 driver for many years, as Sebastian Vettel forced his status to the top of their pecking order above Mark Webber before Verstappen did so against Daniel Ricciardo. Verstappen has been at the heart of Red Bull’s efforts since Ricciardo left in 2018.
Courtenay was also at the heart of Red Bull’s stance, having first taken his role as their head of race strategy in 2010 when Vettel sealed the first of his four titles in a row. He earlier held the roles of strategy engineer and senior analyst from 2005-10 after Red Bull bought Jaguar.
The Briton will now report to McLaren’s racing director Randy Singh in his role as their new sporting director. And should Courtenay bid to see McLaren embrace strategies that favour one driver more than the other, Norris and Piastri will hope to stamp their case very early.
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