'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso recently came out and shared his take on the Papaya rules implied by McLaren as its two drivers, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, go head-to-head for the 2025 F1 title. The Spaniard came out and hailed Andrea Stella and Zak Brown for managing both the drivers.
McLaren came into the 2025 season with the fastest car, jumping Red Bull and other rivals in the performance index. As the season progressed, it became clear that the Drivers' title fight was going to be between the two McLaren drivers.
Papaya rules, which are the rules of engagement and racing for the two McLaren drivers, have been in effect since last season and continued into the current season to allow both drivers to fairly fight for the title. Both drivers are free to race each other, given they don't make any contact.
Trending
Former McLaren driver, Fernando Alonso, who first raced for the team during the 2007 season with Lewis Hamilton as his teammate, came out and applauded the Woking-based team's bosses. Alonso had a troublesome time as he fought Hamilton for the 2007 title, as both drivers lost the title to Kimi Raikkonen by just a single point.
“The credit goes to Andrea and Zak. They created a winning structure and car, but they also knew how to manage the drivers for the benefit of the team . It's less exciting to watch and for the media, because there's no controversy surrounding some of the victories, at least for now. That said, instead of thinking like that, we should be thinking about how well Andrea and Zak are managing everything,” said Fernando Alonso (via Soymotor, who quoted BBC)
Lando Norris trails Oscar Piastri by 25 points going into the final seven races of the season, whereas Max Verstappen, who was seemingly out of title contention, has recovered ground with back-to-back wins and is just 69 points behind the Australian.
Fernando Alonso details his advantage over others with the 2026 regulations on the horizon
F1 will introduce all new regulations for the 2026 season with the power unit shifting its reliance towards the electrical motors, shifting to sustainable fuels, active aerodynamic elements, and shorter-lighter cars. Fernando Alonso sat with Aston Martin for an interview after the Azerbaijan GP and was questioned if he had an advantage over the less experienced drivers going into the new regulations. He said,
“I think so… Or I would at least like to think so. I've driven very different cars in motorsport, from rally cars in the dunes to endurance racing to Formula One – and very different eras of Formula One. So, you know, whatever we find next year in the first couple of days with the car, I'm sure that it will have some similarities with some of the experiences that I had in the past.”
With the new wind tunnel and factory fully functional, and personnel like Adrian Newey, Andy Cowell and Enrico Cardile joining the stable, Aston Martin can be a serious threat for the 2026 title.
