The so-called ‘papaya rules’ of McLaren have long been a topic of discussion. We now know that Oscar Piastri has accepted his role as the ‘second driver’. The Australian is willing to let Lando Norris win if necessary. Max Verstappen, however, believes Piastri is too good to play second fiddle; he would never let Norris pass him.
“I don’t see him (Oscar Piastri) as a number two,” said Max Verstappen in an interview with the German Autosport. The youngest McLaren driver had previously stated that he wants to help Lando Norris win the title, even if it means sacrificing his own races. “I would never accept that,” Verstappen added.
Verstappen further commented, “Of course, it’s easy for me to say; I’ve been in Formula 1 for ten years. Piastri is only in his second season and will find it harder to stand his ground. That doesn’t change the fact that he’s a great driver who doesn’t deserve to give up victories just because it’s asked of him.”
‘I Don’t Need the Championship Handed to Me’
Lando Norris is well aware that there are limits to the principle of ‘the second driver’. Moreover, he doesn’t want the championship to be handed to him on a silver platter. “If a driver performs better than me, it’s up to me to perform better,” he said in the run-up to the GP of Baku. “I don’t need the championship handed to me. Of course, it’s always great to win the title, but in the long run, that’s not how you want to win. I want to beat my competitors fair and square and prove that I’m the fastest.”
Whether Norris will actually need Piastri’s help remains to be seen. Regardless of the papaya rules, Verstappen believes that McLaren has the best line-up of all his competitors. “They are so well-coordinated,” he explained. “In addition, they are both fast. McLaren has really put the right people in the right places. You can now clearly see how much impact that can have.”
Of course, Max Verstappen is a bit biased in his opinion about the papaya rules. The Dutch driver is being closely followed in the world championship by Lando Norris; his British competitor still needs to make up fifty-two points to take the lead. With six more Grands Prix on the calendar, including three sprint races, anything is still possible.
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