From the very first race, the British team firmly hammered home the concept of the papaya rules — a principle both drivers consistently respected, even with Max Verstappen charging back into the title fight in emphatic fashion during the closing stages of the season at McLaren.

McLaren have consistently stressed their commitment to giving both drivers equal treatment in all circumstances, even when one held the upper hand in the championship standings — as seen, for instance, with the position swap at Monza in favour of Lando Norris.

Asked by a betting site whether McLaren had learned anything from the papaya rules this year, the 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve replied: “We don’t even know what the papaya rules are. It’s just a name that goes with the colour of the car. Ultimately, every team has rules that teammates should not run into each other.

“I think the one thing they have realised is that you always need to stay on your toes. You can’t go to sleep because you will get caught out — and they almost were. It doesn’t matter how superior you are, there’s always someone hiding there, ready to come and get you.”

Just days after the end of the world championship, McLaren CEO Zak Brown offered strong words of reassurance for the Australian, insisting: “You should watch out for Oscar Piastri next year. Oscar’s going to be a world champion — and it could be next year.”

The Australian ultimately came out on the losing end of a three-way title fight, despite having led the championship for as many as fifteen Grands Prix, lacking sharpness and consistency precisely at the most crucial stage of the season.