Source: REUTERS/Mark Peterson
[Saba Sports News] Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko mocked McLaren after the Japanese Grand Prix, referring to McLaren’s conservative strategy as the “new papaya rule.” The 81-year-old F1 fox pointed out that it was the orange team’s self-created no-collision priority principle that allowed Max Verstappen to easily overcome the double attack of McLaren at Suzuka and turn the tide. At the critical moment of the race, when Oscar Piastri repeatedly requested on the radio to “let the faster self attack Verstappen,” McLaren’s strategy group brought out the so-called “papaya rule”—an internal clause established last year to protect the points of both cars. As a result, Lando Norris watched Red Bull win the championship with a 1.4-second difference, with the Australian rookie’s speed limited by the team. Technical replays show that if they had taken a chance at that time, Piastri’s tire advantage could have posed a real threat to Verstappen in the last five laps. In response, Marko sneered, “They are racing like they are holding two papayas, afraid of breaking themselves and hitting the opponent.” Some fans say that this strategic collapse exposed the deep contradictions in McLaren’s management. Team leader Andrea Stella claimed “team interest first,” but secretly favored Norris, causing Piastri to slow down at key corners multiple times.