McLaren’s “Papaya Rules” draw fire from Verstappen
Max Verstappen didn’t mince words about McLaren’s team orders, saying he would have handled things very differently than Oscar Piastri did last season.
“Certainly not. If you do this once without a clear reason, you sell your soul. The team can then do what they want with you. And let’s not forget: Piastri was in the middle of the title fight.”
The four-time world champion narrowly missed his own shot at another title after a remarkable late-season comeback that started after Zandvoort. He fell just two points short as Lando Norris clinched the championship in Abu Dhabi.
McLaren’s controversial “papaya rules” became one of the biggest talking points throughout the season.
Norris benefited several times from these team orders, most notably when Piastri was told to swap positions at Monza – a command the young Australian followed without protest.
Verstappen clearly thinks Piastri should have stood his ground.
## Verstappen committed to Red Bull despite retirement thoughts
Despite rumors swirling around last summer, Verstappen has made it clear he’s sticking with Red Bull for the long haul.
He shut down speculation about a potential move to Mercedes that had gained momentum during the season, confirming he’ll stay put with the Milton Keynes team.
That doesn’t mean he plans to hang around Formula 1 forever, though.
The champion has made it clear he doesn’t see himself racing into his 40s like some other drivers have done.
Verstappen also opened up about Helmut Marko’s departure, admitting it’s hard to picture Red Bull without the influential Austrian advisor who stepped away after last season ended.
Despite this significant change, he’s committed to fulfilling his current contract with the team that helped him become a multiple world champion.
