Max Verstappen has retrospectively described the fuss over McLaren’s so-called ‘papaya rules’ as laughable. The Dutch champion fails to understand why his closest rivals made such a fuss about team orders. He is also convinced that McLaren would have performed better if they had been more consistent and established clearer rules.
During the 2024 Formula 1 season, much was made of McLaren’s so-called ‘papaya rules’. These guidelines were intended to streamline the internal cooperation between the drivers and prevent them from driving each other off the track. However, there was a lot of confusion about when Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri would be given priority. In an interview with Viaplay, Verstappen reflects on the debacle surrounding the papaya rules.
‘What’s that all about?’
“Yes, that’s another nonsense quote,” says the four-time world champion. “Papaya rules? I don’t need that at all. If my engineer were to tell me that, I would think: ‘Just keep your mouth shut.’ What’s that all about? It’s logical that they can race each other, but as a team, they should have resolved this much more easily and better.” Verstappen is convinced that McLaren dropped the ball in more areas.
“They (McLaren, ed.) clearly had a very good car this year, but they still had a lot to learn in terms of consistency,” he explained. “They achieved good results in the constructors’ championship, but they should have been better prepared for the drivers’ championship.” Presenter Amber Brantsen finally asks Verstappen whether McLaren missed opportunities. “Absolutely,” he responds immediately. “Norris could have been champion too.
