F1 2026: Zak Brown admits 's*** happens' as McLaren head for papaya rules repeat

McLaren

F1 boss admits 's*** happens' as McLaren head for papaya rules repeat

Zak Brown is a championship-winning team boss

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Wednesday 21 January 2026 09:54

McLaren F1 boss Zak Brown has hinted that the so-called papaya rules will still be relevant for the team in 2026, as they attempt to retain their crowns.

The team are now back-to-back constructors' champions, and they also secured their first championship double since 1998 in 2025, with Lando Norris becoming drivers' champion for the very first time.

It was a dominant year for McLaren in that they won 14 out of a possible 24 grands prix, but that led to a fierce championship battle between Norris and his team-mate Oscar Piastri.

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In this battle, McLaren refused to back one of the drivers, almost letting Max Verstappen steal away the title at the final race weekend of the season. Their reason for this was to allow both Piastri and Norris an equal chance at claiming the title.

This approach led to some controversy, however, not least when Piastri moved over for Norris at the Italian Grand Prix after Norris suffered a botched pit stop, with McLaren asking Piastri to do this because they didn't believe it should stop Norris from competing for the title.

Despite all of this, McLaren did manage to win both championships - their goal at the start of the season - and Brown has now suggested the team will continue on with the papaya rules tactics in 2026, stating that he is proud of the way they dealt with adversity throughout last year.

"We are racers, and we were determined to give Lando and Oscar a fair and equal opportunity to go for the title," Brown said in a letter to McLaren fans. "And we accomplished that.

"We are racers and have been in this sport long enough to understand that s*** happens, and it’s part of the game - what’s important is how we react in these situations to help drive us forward. When we make mistakes, we take responsibility. We address difficult situations directly, openly and constructively, ensuring we move forward stronger and more aligned.

"The lessons we learned last year - and there were many - are a part of our constant evolution as a team and will undoubtedly make us better prepared. We’re a relatively young team, but we learn quickly, and we bounce back with vigour and purpose.

"Championships are won by how teams respond under pressure, and I am proud of how we handled those more challenging moments."

McLaren to struggle more in 2026 with papaya rules?

The wholesale regulation changes that are sweeping into the sport in 2026 mean the F1 grid could well see a shake up in the competitive order.

With McLaren being so dominant in 2025, that could be bad news for them, as their rivals are given an opportunity to catch up or even get ahead of the Woking-based outfit.

Race victories and podiums may well be harder to come by in 2026, and papaya rules are not going to help McLaren in that situation.

They might be better off backing one of their drivers in next season's title race, to ensure that they are not constantly taking points from each other.

It's a tactic that worked well for Red Bull in 2025, with Verstappen going on to finish just two points behind Norris despite the fact that Red Bull had suffered with inconsistent car performance compared to McLaren for the majority of the year.

Time will tell as to whether McLaren will change tack during the season or not, but for now at least, Brown seems adamant they should continue as they are.

F1 McLaren Lando Norris Oscar Piastri Zak Brown