Papaya rules to face axe after Norris-Piastri clash in Singapore GP?

Speaking after the race, Stella said: “Every time we start our conversations with the drivers, we always remind ourselves of a premise. This is hard, because this is the only matter in which, when you race together as a team, you can’t have exactly the same interest for the two drivers — because they both want to pursue their own aspirations. This is a foundational principle of the way we go racing at McLaren.”

The team’s guiding principle remains the same: allow the drivers to race freely, but under very clear conditions: “We want to protect this ‘let them race’ concept. We know that as soon as you adopt this concept, you face difficulties — and we remind ourselves of that.

“But it’s within this awareness, this self-consciousness in a way, that we develop our conversations. You need to be thorough, and you need to have integrity in approaching it.”

The Italian believes that if the Papaya rules have worked so far and continue to be respected, it’s thanks to the two drivers themselves, who have consistently shown great dedication and commitment to the team.

“I’m very proud of the way Lando and Oscar have been part of the process so far, because if we’ve been able to navigate through this difficult part of going racing, it’s because we have Lando and Oscar on board.”

Finally he added: “They’ve been just great individuals, great contributors, and that’s why it’s been successful so far. We’ll work hard to make sure this remains true for the rest of the season and in the years ahead as we continue racing with Lando and Oscar.”

In the wake of the clash between his two drivers, Stella urged patience, emphasising that the team must avoid rushing to conclusions.

While the fight for the Drivers’ Championship remains important, he underlined that maintaining mutual trust within the team is the true priority.

According to the Italian, that sense of trust outweighs even the significance of the title battle. He explained that it will be a central focus of McLaren’s internal review — a process aimed at analysing the incident in detail and ensuring the team regains its balance moving forward.