McLaren wants to review Oscar Piastri’s first-lap pass on Lando Norris in Formula 1’s Italian Grand Prix before deciding if it complied with its ‘Papaya Rules’ code of conduct.
While Norris made a great getaway from pole position, his race turned at the second chicane when Piastri made an aggressive move around the outside – costing his team-mate momentum, which Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc capitalised on to move up to second.
With McLaren fighting for the world championship, and a great deal of focus on the squad maximising the chances it has against Red Bull, the way the team lost a 1-2 track position has prompted some to suggest the situation should have been handled better.
And the way things played out, with Leclerc being given a free pass, could even have gone against McLaren’s ‘Papaya Rules’ code of conduct that both drivers are adhering to when it comes to fighting each other.
Speaking after seeing Leclerc go on to win at Monza after mastering a one-stop strategy, McLaren boss Andrea Stella said that team management and both drivers had to go through events on the first lap – especially with both titles now looking in reach.
Asked if Piastri’s move was within the ‘Papaya Rules’, Stella said: “We will have to review together with the drivers, look at the videos, understand their point of view, and then we will assess together whether they were fully compliant or not.
“We will take the learning, if there is any learning that we need to take, and then we will adjust the Papaya Rules such that they allow us to pursue in the best possible manner both the constructors’ championship and the drivers’ championship.”
Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, 2nd position, Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, 3rd position, in the Press Conference
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
Stella feels that the performance that his team is showing now, allied to Red Bull’s struggles, has changed the dynamic of the championship battles – which makes ensuring that its drivers capitalise on every points-scoring opportunity a priority.
“We have to be now in condition to acknowledge that not only the constructor championship is possible,” he said.
“Even from a driver’s point of view, with the performance we have at the moment in the car, and some of the struggles that we see with Red Bull, it is definitely possible.
“So if we can achieve both as a team, we need to put the team in condition and Lando in…
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