What is McLaren’s stance on ‘Papaya Rules’ for F1 2026?

McLaren have “reaffirmed” and “consolidated” the way Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will be allowed to go racing during the 2026 F1 season.

How McLaren handled team orders during grands prix became a major talking point during 2025 as both Norris and Piastri fought for the drivers’ championship.

Both were free to race each other for as long as they remained in title contention, but McLaren’s reluctance to back one driver over the other resulted in an uncomfortable end to the season as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen produced a generational comeback to take the battle down to the wire.

Norris ultimately triumphed to clinch his maiden F1 world championship, ending the season just two points clear of Verstappen, and 13 ahead of Piastri.

Several decisions, most notably the controversial driver swap at Monza, came under intense scrutiny and saw McLaren face a barrage of criticism.

But McLaren are set to continue with their policy of fairness and equal treatment for both their drivers heading into 2026.

"We talked last year quite a bit about internal racing at McLaren. From that point of view, we will enter 2026 with continuity - we will keep racing the McLaren way," Stella told media including Crash.net.

"If we have been able to achieve success in 2024 and then in 2025, what has added extra value is the way in which we have achieved in such a collaborative, supportive, cohesive way together with our drivers.

"All this has led us to reaffirm fundamentally that the concepts of fairness, integrity, equal opportunities, sportsmanship - they are all fundamental for the team, for Lando and for Oscar. They are confirmed and consolidated, if anything."

Although he did not divulge exactly which incidents he was referring to, Stella admitted there were certain situations in which McLaren acknowledged they could have done things differently last year.

“We all acknowledge that the volume of work required for the team and to some extent even for the drivers related to internal competition was important,” he explained.

“Therefore, any attempt we can make to make this going racing together just simpler, to some extent, will be welcome. It will be in reality a matter of fine-tuning because once we reviewed what we have done, in most of the cases we said that's exactly what we would still do again.

"But we found a few opportunities in which we can streamline the way in which we operate collectively. Like I said, reaffirming the fundamental principles that we have adopted in the past.”

As well as winning their first drivers’ title since 2008 last year, McLaren celebrated a second consecutive constructors’ world championship, which they wrapped up in record-equalling speed at the Singapore Grand Prix.