Zak Brown, McLaren, generic, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

'S*** happens' - McLaren F1 boss hints at papaya rules update

Zak Brown is a championship-winning team boss

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 20 January 2026 22:59

McLaren F1 boss Zak Brown has hinted at an update on whether McLaren will use their papaya rules in 2026, claiming 's*** happens' in his review of the 2025 season.

The team claimed a championship double in 2025, with Lando Norris becoming the first McLaren drivers' champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.

In the title battle between Norris and Oscar Piastri, however, McLaren refused to back either 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.

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These so-called papaya rules did lead to some controversy, however, not least when Piastri moved over for Norris at the Italian Grand Prix after Norris had suffered a botched pit stop, with McLaren asking Piastri to do this because they didn't believe that things like botched pit stops should stop a driver 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 that 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.

"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 that 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 that they should continue as they are.

McLaren Lando Norris Oscar Piastri Zak Brown