McLaren will maintain its strict policy of driver equality, refusing to grant Lando Norris preferential treatment over teammate Oscar Piastri as the Formula 1 World Championship reaches its thrilling conclusion.
Championship Standings Tighten After Vegas Disqualification
The title battle was thrown wide open at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where both McLaren cars were disqualified for running illegal planks. This dramatic turn of events allowed Red Bull's Max Verstappen to claim victory, significantly closing the gap to the championship leader.
Lando Norris now holds a slender 24-point lead over Verstappen, with his own teammate, Oscar Piastri, an unexpected equal third, also just 24 points behind. This sets up a tantalising three-way fight for the title with only the Qatar Grand Prix and the finale in Abu Dhabi remaining.
McLaren's 'Papaya Rules' Dictate Equal Status
Despite the high stakes, the McLaren team is holding firm to its founding principles of fairness, internally known as the 'Papaya Rules'. This means both drivers will receive identical support and are free to race for the championship.
When questioned about potentially playing a supporting 'wingman' role to Norris, Piastri was unequivocal. 'We had a very brief discussion on it and the answer is "no",' the Australian driver stated. 'I'm equal on points with Max and I've got a decent shot of still winning it if things go my way, and that's how we'll play it.'
This position has found an unlikely ally in their rival, Max Verstappen. The Red Bull champion voiced his strong support for McLaren's approach, saying, 'Why would you suddenly say Oscar isn't allowed to race? I'd tell them to f-off. You have to race. Otherwise, you label yourself a No 2 and Oscar wouldn't want that.'
The Path to the Title in Qatar
The championship could be decided as early as this weekend in Qatar. Lando Norris can secure the title ahead of the Abu Dhabi finale if he outscores both Verstappen and Piastri by two points across Saturday's sprint race and Sunday's main Grand Prix.
This scenario places immense pressure on all three drivers, promising a weekend of intense, wheel-to-wheel action as McLaren's commitment to fairness is put to the ultimate test on the world stage.
