McLaren sealed back-to-back Constructors’ Championships in Singapore, but the champagne celebrations couldn’t hide the growing tension threatening to tear their dream season apart. The first-lap collision between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri has exposed cracks in McLaren’s “Papaya Rules” philosophy that could cost them the Drivers’ Championship they desperately crave.
The incident itself was pure racing drama. Norris lunged up the inside at Turn 3, clipped Max Verstappen’s rear, and slid sideways into Piastri. Championship leader Piastri immediately fumed over team radio that McLaren’s decision not to intervene was “not fair.” That radio message revealed everything about the Australians’ frustration with how this title fight is being managed.
Team Principal Andrea Stella insists they’ll conduct a “very detailed” review, emphasizing the need to maintain driver trust. But here’s the reality McLaren faces: they’ve now had two collisions between their drivers this season. Canada saw Norris retire after running into Piastri’s rear. Singapore saw contact that narrowed Piastri’s championship lead to just 22 points with six races remaining.
Former Haas boss Guenther Steiner pulled no punches with his assessment. McLaren needs to back Piastri for the Drivers’ Championship immediately. His reasoning is brutally simple: Piastri leads by 22 points, meaning he’s earned the right to team support. Continuing with ambiguous “Papaya Rules” risks losing everything to Verstappen, who sits just 41 points behind Norris.
Steiner’s warning carries weight. “If they lose the drivers’ world championship now, I wouldn’t be happy. Then you have got two unhappy drivers. At least if you favour one, you’ve got only one unhappy driver.” The mathematics are undeniable. McLaren has secured the Constructors’ title. Now they need to protect Piastri’s Drivers’ Championship lead before it evaporates.
The controversy extends beyond Singapore too. Hungary saw Piastri leading before McLaren’s strategy allowed Norris to win. Italy saw Piastri ordered to let Norris past after a slow pit stop, despite believing they’d agreed such issues were just racing. Behind the scenes, Piastri wasn’t happy, requiring team talks to resolve tensions.
Norris insists “anyone on the grid” would have made that Singapore move. He claims he touched Verstappen first, making it a racing incident rather than aggressive teammate contact. The stewards agreed, taking no action. But Piastri’s immediate radio frustration suggests he sees things differently.
With The Constructors’ Championship secured, McLaren faces their defining decision. Do they continue letting their drivers race freely, risking both lose to Verstappen? Or do they back Piastri, their championship leader, and accept one unhappy driver over potentially losing everything? With six races remaining and just 22 points separating the McLaren duo, that decision can’t wait much longer.
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