Papaya rules not enough to protect McLaren from 'downward spiral' says Norris

The F1 world has seen an intrateam battle between Norris and Piastri igniting since race one in Australia. The tension that's been building up at McLaren reached a new low last time out in Canada where the pair clashed in the last stages of the race. Despite the good working relationship between the two, Norris sees McLaren is in danger of hitting a 'downward spiral.'

“I think we work very well as team-mates, I think we’ve helped the team in a very good way. There have been plenty of examples of things not going as smoothly as they have done and teams then going on a downward spiral," said Norris to media in Canada.

After ten F1 championship rounds only 22 points separate the two McLaren drivers in the as of yet close race for the Drivers' title. And although Norris wishes to 'get along' with Piastri, tougher times await the Woking-based team.

“But it doesn’t mean that if someone says a joke, we can’t laugh at the same joke. We get on now, [but] there are going to be tougher moments. There’s no point trying to guess what they’re going to be,” the current runner-up in the championship concluded.