The ‘Papaya rules 2.0’ will start in Baku. With eight races (plus three ‘sprints’) to go in the world championship, McLaren has decided to focus more on Lando Norris to allow him to reduce the gap to Max Verstappen in the drivers’ standings.
The sixty-two points separating the two contenders are a significant gap, but if Red Bull does not show signs of recovery after the negative weekend in Monza, it is a concrete possibility to hypothesize a recovery by Norris.
After the Italian Grand Prix, McLaren revised its guidelines. Both Norris and Oscar Piastri confirmed that starting this weekend things will be a little different, but without going into too much detail.
Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Less risk on the track (as happened during the first lap at Monza) and possible help from Piastri if conditions allow it. But, at least in words, there will not be an unscrupulous use of the ‘team orders’. “If (Oscar) were to find himself in a position to deserve a victory I think it is right that he wins the race – explained Norris – but it could still be an important help to do what we can if we were to find ourselves in other positions”.
Returning to a hypothetical exchange of positions to obtain a victory, Lando was clear. “A scenario like that in terms of the championship could be a bit painful for my standings – he admitted – but I’m here to race, and if a driver does a better job than me it’s up to me to roll up my sleeves and make sure I get the most out of it. I don’t want to take success away from other drivers, I don’t even like the idea of winning a world championship in this way”.
“In some ways it would be great to take home the title, but in the long run I wouldn’t be so proud. That’s not how I want to win a championship, but by fighting against Max, beating him and the other opponents. I have to prove that I’m the best on the track, that’s how I want to win.”
Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team
Photo by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Images
“We have discussed a lot in the last few days,” Piastri confirmed. “Seeing it selfishly as a driver, team orders are not fun, but I am aware that there is a much bigger picture at the moment. I am racing for a team that has given me the great opportunity to be in Formula 1 and to win my first Grand Prix 18 months after my debut, so I can only be very grateful.”
“And again, there’s a lot at stake, we’re trying to win both championships, which is an incredibly big thing for the team. If you ask me how I look at it, selfishly I’d rather not get any orders, but at the same time I’m happy to be able to provide some support at this point in the season. I think before today it would probably have been excessive, but now is the right time to try to help the team win both championships.”
In addition to possible exchanges of positions, which should not penalize Piastri if he were to find himself in a consolidated leadership, McLaren wants to avoid a repetition of situations like the one that occurred at Roggia immediately after the start of the Italian Grand Prix.
I think there are times when it’s not smart to fight,” Norris explained. “If you attack on the first lap of the race and that’s what you had in mind, that’s the wrong approach. After Monza we talked and we resolved it. The most important thing is that we came out of Turn 4 in first and third, and before we entered the corner we were first and second with a big gap. I think in a circumstance like that it’s better to pull away, get a gap and go forward. That’s not how we should have raced in Monza, now we have clearer indications of how we can race against each other and how much we can risk with each other.”
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