Source:REUTERS/Massimo Pinca
[Saba Sports News] Yesterday, Max Fewtrell played e-sports with McLaren driver Lando Norris and streamed it live on Twitch. Before the race started, Max jokingly said, “Lando, let’s follow the Papaya Rules at Turn 1.” To this, Lando responded with an expletive: “fucking hell.” It is clear that Lando is quite unhappy with these Papaya Rules. The Papaya Rules are a strategy implemented by McLaren during racing events aimed at ensuring mutual respect among their drivers, giving each other enough space to avoid collisions and maximizing the team’s interests. However, the implementation of this rule has sparked some controversy and criticism. Specifically, this rule involves how the team manages its drivers to ensure they achieve optimal results during races. However, its implementation has not met expectations and has instead exposed management issues within the team, affecting driver performance and results. During the Italian Grand Prix, McLaren informed Lando that he could freely compete with Oscar Piastri but must adhere to the Papaya Rules. Ultimately, Piastri and Lando finished second and third respectively. Although neither driver collided, if Piastri had given up second place to Lando, Lando would have had a chance to challenge for the F1 driver’s championship.