When McLaren realized they had a genuine shot at the big prize in the second half of the 2024 Formula 1 season, they introduced what they dubbed the “papaya rules.” The goal was simple: to maximize their chances of taking home both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. But, as with most mid-season pivots, the execution was anything but straightforward.

These team orders—often clunky and controversial—were meant to ensure harmony between lead driver Lando Norris and his sensational Australian teammate Oscar Piastri. Instead, they sparked debates among fans and pundits alike, especially after moments like Monza, where Piastri’s audacious opening-lap move on Norris cost McLaren a comfortable win to Ferrari. Heading into 2025, however, the team has decided to reset the slate, leveling the playing field between their two drivers, despite Norris himself feeling like he had “earned the right” to those team orders.

Lando’s failed title challenge and the weight of team orders

The 2024 season was the one where McLaren finally emerged as the title contender after more than a decade since their last title-worthy car. And with the dominant Red Bull stumbling post-Miami and Sergio Perez’s season going off the rails, the reigning world champion Max Verstappen found himself in a solo fight against the full might of McLaren, Ferrari, and, occasionally, Mercedes. However, it was a resurgent Lando Norris who emerged as his most likely title rival. For a time, it seemed like Norris might pull off the upset. The young Brit picked up crushing wins in Miami, Zandvoort, and Singapore witha  raw pace that looked genuinely worrying for the rest of the field.

But to give Norris the best shot at the title, McLaren leaned heavily on team orders, especially considering the unpredictable competitive order, which almost seemed to flip from race to race. The implementation team orders drew criticism from many watching, who felt it was an unfair tactic that undermined Piastri’s prodigious talent. This sentiment was further exaggerated as Norris was developing a bit of a reputation for fluffing the race starts and cracking under pressure as a typically ruthless Verstappen bullied the McLaren star on the track. This prompted fans to ridicule the British team with taunts like like “they want Piastri to be Bottas but Norris is NOT Hamilton.”

However, Norris feels like those team orders weren’t just handed to him on a silver platter.

“A lot of what you guys [the media] write about and talk about has been because of the championship fight, the Drivers’ Championship fight, and that’s where a lot of talk and things started. And I earned my right to have some of those privileges. I earned my right by doing a good job through the whole season, to be given that opportunity. I don’t go around asking for it.”

Monza was the turning point, with Piastri’s daring pass on Norris on lap one compromising Mclaren’s strategy allowing Charles Leclerc to steal the win from right under their noses. From then on, team principal Andrea Stella made it clear: McLaren would favor Norris in his bid to dethrone Verstappen. “We had to show bias towards Lando for the championship,” Stella admitted after the Italian Grand Prix.

Norris, however, insists it wasn’t a one-sided arrangement. “Everyone acted like it was going to be every race, but it really wasn’t,” he explained. “In Baku, it was actually the other way around—I held up Perez to help Oscar. And in Brazil, Oscar gave me the Sprint win.”

The whole team orders business began back at the Hungarian Grand Prix where Piastri was actually the one who was the benefitting party. After McLaren undercut the leading Aussie with his teammate Norris to cover off a threatening Lewis Hamilton, the team then engaged in a race-long debate over team radio to try and convince Norris to hand first place back to Piastri, who, the team felt, was hard done by their own strategy. Eventually, Norris conceded with only a few laps to go allowing Piastri to score his maiden grand prix victory, but what should’ve been a huge 1-2 celebration for the Woking team, left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth.

Ultimately, Norris fell short, finishing 63 points behind Verstappen’s generational talent. But even in defeat, he acknowledged the value of McLaren’s approach. “It’s not how I want to win a championship,” he admitted. “I want to give Max a fair fight and earn it my way. But sometimes, it’s about doing what’s best for the team. That’s why we’re the top team now, and why we won the Constructors’ title.”

Norris won the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi too, making it his most successful season ever, but looking forward to the upcoming season, McLaren is hitting the reset button in terms of driver hierarchy, “[2025] is a refresh and Oscar has an opportunity to fight for a championship too,” Norris said.

Oscar Piastri and Zak Brown on “starting fresh”

Oscar Piastri, for his part, took the team orders in stride. “To be honest, I wasn’t too upset about giving up the Sprint win in Brazil,” he said. “Qualifying on pole was more satisfying for me. And I knew helping Lando was the right thing to do.” That said, the Australian is determined to avoid being in a support role this year. “Next season, I want to make sure I’m not in that position, championship-wise,” he added.

Piastri also had his most successful season in F1 (yes, we know he’s only had two) scoring grand prix wins in Hungary and a masterful drive in Baku to hold off Ferrari’s star boy Charles Leclerc, but it was a struggle to find that speed consistently that hindered him relative to his teammate Norris.

The decision to hit the reset button on team dynamics was spearheaded by McLaren CEO Zak Brown, who believes it’s the best way forward. “We’re starting 2025 fresh,” Brown confirmed. “Oscar has an opportunity to fight for the championship too, and we’re confident both drivers will deliver.”

Brown also backed Norris to improve in his battles with Verstappen, pointing to the lessons learned last year. “Lando knows how Max operates now,” Brown said. “He gave him a great fight in Mexico without being overly aggressive, which was crucial for the Constructors’ Championship. I think he’ll be even better prepared this year.”

For McLaren, the 2024 season was a landmark year. Their first Constructors’ Championship in 26 years was a testament to the team’s progress, even if the Drivers’ title remained elusive. But with Norris and Piastri starting on equal footing and McLaren refining their approach, 2025 promises to be just as thrilling.