P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has confessed that Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris’ Formula 1 title fight could mirror the team’s contentious 2007 intra-team battle.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown admitted that the title fight between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in Formula 1 has echoes of the team’s contentious 2007 intra-team battle. Piastri and Norris are currently leading the Drivers’ standings, closely separated by just nine points, with their MCL39 challenger giving them a significant advantage over their competitors. McLaren’s ‘papaya rules’ philosophy allows both drivers to race each other without any negative impact on the team, a principle that has been followed despite some incidents like the collision in Canada and close moments in Austria and Hungary. Brown emphasized the importance of treating both drivers equally and fairly, with both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships carrying equal weight for the team. While the 2007 scenario remains a cautionary tale, Brown stressed the team’s commitment to fair play and avoiding favoritism, highlighting the potential risks associated with prioritizing one driver over the other. The differences between the current battle and the contentious 2007 season, where McLaren’s two drivers lost out to Kimi Raikkonen by a point, further emphasize the team’s dedication to maintaining a level playing field for both drivers.
