After a turbulent season, McLaren has made history by securing its first constructor’s title in 26 years. Despite Max Verstappen’s dominance in the individual championship, McLaren threw a spanner in the works for Red Bull with a powerful upgrade in Miami. Lando Norris clinched his first victory of the year, and together with teammate Oscar Piastri, they formed an unstoppable duo. However, Piastri explains that genuine friendship in Formula 1 is rare as their collaboration could be significantly tested in the future.
Papaya Rules
Norris emerged as a consistent winner thanks to both his own talent and McLaren’s technical advancements. However, it wasn’t just Norris who impressed. In his second season, Piastri proved himself to be a force to be reckoned with, helping McLaren to score points week after week. To prevent the internal rivalry between Norris and Piastri from escalating, McLaren introduced the ‘Papaya Rules’. These rules were designed to avoid on-track collisions, especially given that both drivers were regularly leading the race.
“While the duo maintains an apparently harmonious relationship, Oscar Piastri hints at possible tensions in the future. “We’ve seen how things can change when you’re fighting for first and second place,” he said in an interview with The Gentleman’s Journal. “Just look at Hamilton and Rosberg.” The Australian emphasized that true friendships in Formula 1 are rare. “You’re always trying to beat your teammate. That makes real friendship difficult, especially when you’re racing at this level.”
No Time for Friendship
Although Norris and Piastri interact professionally, their contact is limited to the circuit. “We don’t hang out much off the track,” Piastri admitted. “There simply isn’t time for that.” An exception was a game of padel, in which Piastri challenged his teammate.
With the constructors’ championship in hand, McLaren is setting its sights on 2025. Piastri makes his ambitions clear: “I want to become world champion in the long term. That’s why we’re here, isn’t it?”
