P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Jacques Villeneuve has identified why McLaren is mocked for papaya rules whilst other teams are not, despite using similar driving standards.
Jacques Villeneuve criticized McLaren for their “papaya rules,” attributing the ridicule in the F1 paddock to the team’s decision to label their driver standards with a nickname. The former F1 champion emphasized that these standards are customary in the sport, but usually not mockingly termed by others. “Papaya rules” essentially mandate Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to race each other fairly and avoid collisions, a standard expectation in F1. While McLaren aims for equal treatment between their drivers, achieving complete fairness is challenging in motorsport. Controversy arose during the 2025 season at Monza when McLaren instructed Piastri to yield to Norris following a pit stop mishap, sparking debate and division in the racing community. Villeneuve highlighted the triviality of the nickname, stating that every team enforces rules to prevent team-mates from colliding, albeit without giving them quirky titles like McLaren did.
