Max Verstappen gets candid about the Papaya Rules as he continues to surge as a championship contender

Max Verstappen believes McLaren’s Papaya Rules are of little concern to him, as he refrained from commenting on whether the intra-team battle could aid his title chances. Speaking to media including Sportskeeda in Mexico, the Red Bull champion emphasized that his focus remains on his own performance and car.

With the McLaren drivers having to manage their rivalry cautiously, it’s a situation that could play into Verstappen’s hands in the championship fight. As it stands, the Papaya rules in the McLaren situation involve neither McLaren driver to clash between the two to maintain the harmony between the dynamic. The Dutchman already benefited from their clash in Austin, which helped him close the gap to both drivers.

When asked about McLaren’s internal dynamics and their rules of engagement, Max Verstappen brushed it off, stating that their issues were none of his concern. Instead, he underlined the importance of having a competitive package to consistently beat both McLarens over the remaining rounds.

Asked by Sportskeeda if McLaren’s intra-team situation benefited them, Max Verstappen replied:

“No, that's not really my problem, is it? I think as a team, they decide what they want to do right? With the rules. I just focus on my own performances. And for me, what is the most important is that we have a competitive car. So if we have a competitive car and a chance to beat them, we will. So that's the only thing that I'm focused on.”

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Max Verstappen does not believe the risk factor rises as he inches closer to winning the fifth title

Max Verstappen does not believe he has more to lose by taking risks in qualifying or the opening corners as he inches closer to the title fight. Acknowledging that everything needs to be executed perfectly on the team’s side, the Dutchman expressed his intent to try and win every race until the end of the season.

Further, Verstappen reflected on his title chances and also mentioned what potentially could be the worst-case scenario while on his hunt for victory. Asked if he had more to lose when it comes to taking risks in qualifying or the first corners as he inches closer to his fifth title, Max Verstappen replied:

“No I think it’s still the same, I mean, worst case, I finished P3 right, so nothing really changes. I just want to, yeah, try and win races to the end of the season. I hope it's possible every weekend, but it's impossible to know at the moment. We on a good run, and we also know as a team that it needs to be perfect on the end, you, to have a chance. So if it works, and yeah, great, unbelievable come back. If it doesn't work, you know, you just continue, You can be proud of, I think of the end of the season that we've had, and your not swinging in performance. But we’ll worry about that in Abu Dhabi.”

Max Verstappen currently trails Oscar Piastri by 40 points and Lando Norris by 26 points in the drivers’ championship. With five races and two sprint rounds remaining, the Dutchman will need to win every event until Abu Dhabi to keep his title hopes alive.

Edited by Tushhita Barua