Oscar Piastri Spill the Beans on McLaren’ “Papaya Rules” Changes After 2025 Headaches

McLaren underwent some controversies in the 2025 season because of the ‘Papaya Rules’. Though the team refused to intervene between the two drivers fighting on track, they backtracked on their decision. Oscar Piastri was put at a disadvantage because of the team orders, as the teams suffered from massive backlash. Now, Piastri reveals how the rules might be changed ahead of the 2026 season.

Oscar Piastri had already hinted that the Papaya Rules were bound to receive changes following the controversies of the 2025 season. The Aussie has now explained what the team hopes to work on in terms of team orders. Piastri accepted with Andrea Stella‘s comments on the matter about ‘streamlining’ the process and not going through the same problems as the previous year.

Speaking on the team orders, Oscar Piastri reckoned that the team did not want to go through the same headaches as the previous season. The Aussie accepted that there were many positives that came with the team intervening between the two drivers. However, McLaren needed to refine their process and keep it overtly positive with no drivers being put at a disadvantage.

For me, as Andrea said, streamlining it is a wise decision to make. We’ve probably caused some headaches for ourselves that we didn’t need to at points last year. As a general principle, and a general way of going racing, it does bring a lot of positives with it. It’s just how do we refine that to try and keep it to just positives, basically.

Oscar Piastri said, as reported by RacingNews365.

Further, Oscar Piastri declared that the entire matter was taken way out of proportion and the problems were made a bigger deal than they needed to be. Piastri criticized those who commented on the matter without having the complete knowledge about the team’s inner workings. The Aussie reassured that things were much different than what they appeared to people from the outside.

There is always a lot more made out about it than actually happens. There are a lot of hypothetical situations, and a lot of people who think without knowing the complete inner workings. A lot of things appear differently from how they actually are. So yeah, some tweaks for sure this year.

Oscar Piastri noted.

Oscar Piastri reassures ‘no bad intentions’ from McLaren towards him

McLaren was accused of having a British bias with Lando Norris, as he always seemed to be on the receiving end of the deal. Though Oscar Piastri clearly denied this possibility and pointed out that there was no such thing at Woking. Piastri once again asserted that the team’s intentions were always in the right place, and he never doubted the team.

Oscar Piastri clarified that he never questioned McLaren’s intentions behind the team orders. He accepted that things could have been handled differently. However, Piastri reckoned that it was all part of the ‘elite sport’ in Formula 1, and such things were to be expected. The Aussie highlighted that the team could never get all decisions right and satisfy all the parties involved.

For me, at no point were there any bad intentions, or any time I questioned the intentions of things. Again, things could have been done better, situations could have been handled differently, but that is part of elite sport and part of Formula 1. You’re never going to get every decision right. 

Oscar Piastri noted.

McLaren will aim to start the season on a much better note and hopes not to suffer from the same controversies as the previous season. The team dominated the final years of the ground-effect era and hopes to carry forward the positive momentum.

Continue Reading: Kim Kardashian & Lewis Hamilton Put Rumors in Overdrive After Joint Paris Trip

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