Former F1 boss trashes McLaren's 'Papaya Rules' with unfiltered criticism

There was one constant storyline through McLaren’s 2025 title run - whether the team should have picked one driver and backed him. However, they stayed firm. They said that both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri would always have equal opportunity, and the policy became known across the paddock as “papaya rules.”

The team still walked away with both championships. However, they only sealed the Drivers’ title by two points, and that has raised questions. Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner was among those who believed that the approach created more problems than it solved.

When asked whether papaya rules were justified, Steiner pointed straight at the standings and the tension the team carried all season.

“They are s**t. They weren’t rules. They were something made up every race weekend. Everyone called them papaya rules, but nobody really knew what they were... They took it to the last race to win the championship and almost slipped off. Now its easy to say that everyone was good, everything worked. Bulls***,” he said in the Red Flags Podcast. (54:18 onwards)

Steiner has never been shy about calling things as he sees them. He had earlier asked Oscar Piastri to leave McLaren in case Lando Norris wins the title. Talking about papaya rules, the former team principal felt the policy hurt more than it helped.

McLaren dominated the Constructors’ standings. They wrapped it up in Singapore in early October and eventually finished on 833 points. Mercedes were next, far behind on 469. For most of the year, the MCL39 was the superior car on the grid.

However, the Drivers’ Championship went right down to the final race. Lando Norris won it by only two points over Max Verstappen. Oscar Piastri, who led the standings for much of the year, slipped behind both. Steiner argued that dominance at the team level should never have allowed the title fight to become that close.

Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris of McLaren before the F1 Qatar Grand Prix. Source: Getty

From the outside, though, many fans believed that the papaya rules leaned toward Norris. That perception grew through the year. Monza became one of the biggest talking points. Norris lost time during a slow pit stop and came back out behind Piastri. McLaren then told Piastri to let Norris through so he could chase Verstappen. Piastri questioned it on the radio but complied. The team called it strategic, and he later accepted it.

There were also 'repercussions' for Norris. Singapore saw both drivers come together on track, triggering internal frustration. It highlighted the risk of letting both drivers race, competing for the title. Each incident reinforced Gunther Steiner’s argument. The team, however, said those moments were about avoiding chaos, not creating hierarchy. But the debate never went away.

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Zak Brown defends Papaya Rules after McLaren wins Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles

(L-R) Oscar Piastri, Zak Brown, Andrea Stella, and Lando Norris at the FIA Awards 2025. Source: Getty

McLaren ended the season with both championships, the first time since 1998. They also became back-to-back Constructors’ champions. Lando Norris became their first Papaya drivers’ champion since 2008. Zak Brown was clear when asked whether the criticism changed anything.

Brown said that winning didn’t erase mistakes, but fairness will remain central to how McLaren races.

“We are committed to giving both drivers equal opportunity to win the World Championship... We're constantly evolving as a racing team. But the fundamentals of having two drivers that would give equal opportunity to win, that won't change,” he told F1.com.

For Brown, parity builds stability. He believes it keeps drivers motivated and the garage united across both sides of the team. The internal review process, he said, is constant, but the foundation stays.

Edited by Hitesh Nigam