Lando Norris has dismissed suggestions that McLaren’s costly strategic misjudgement in the Qatar Grand Prix was the result of the team’s much-discussed “papaya rules”, insisting that fairness protocols between himself and Oscar Piastri played no part in the call that left both drivers exposed to Max Verstappen.
The controversy arose on lap seven under the safety car at Lusail, when McLaren opted not to pit either race leader Piastri or Norris, then running third.
With the event governed by strict 25-lap tyre-stint limits imposed for safety reasons, the failure to stop placed both McLaren cars at an immediate disadvantage compared with Verstappen, who did dive into the pit lane.
By making his second stop on lap 32 - his only green-flag pit sequence of the race - Verstappen was able to complete both service windows more efficiently than the McLaren pair, who were forced to make both of their tyre changes at full racing speed.
TRENDING
Stories
Videos
Your Say
The result left Piastri needing to pass Verstappen on track, ultimately closing to 7.9 seconds but unable to launch a challenge, while Norris slipped to a distant fourth.
The consequence is a rare three-way championship decider in Abu Dhabi. Norris leads on 408 points, with Verstappen on 396 and Piastri on 392, making it the first title showdown featuring three contenders since 2010.
McLaren chief Zak Brown had previously emphasised his commitment to team fairness, suggesting he would rather lose a title to Verstappen than manipulate strategy to favour either of his drivers.
Lando Norris could only finish fourth at the Qatar GP
|REUTERS
Those comments fuelled speculation that McLaren felt unable to pit both cars without violating its internal code.
Norris, however, rejected that notion outright when speaking to Sky Sports F1.
“Nope, it’s got nothing to do with it. Everyone keeps thinking that, but it has got nothing to do with it,” he said, making clear that the strategic misfire had nothing to do with equality rules.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
- Lucas Paqueta releases furious statement blasting football chiefs after West Ham red card in Liverpool defeat
- Oscar Piastri reveals devastation and slams McLaren strategy after missing out on Qatar GP triumph
- Max Verstappen gives himself new nickname after setting up mouthwatering F1 finale with Qatar GP win
F1 facts fans might not know | GETTY/GBNEWS“We just have to have faith in the team making the right decision, and it is always a gamble.”
He conceded the team had simply chosen the wrong option.
“I feel like we were the ones who took the gamble in a way, but it was the wrong decision, we shouldn’t have done it, we lost Oscar the win, and I lost P2," he fumed.
"We didn’t do a good job, but we’ve done good jobs in other races - that’s why we won the constructors’ six races ago. It wasn’t our finest day, but that is life.”
Norris was candid about the team’s shortcomings and the superior execution from Red Bull.
“[Red Bull] were just as quick as they were [on Saturday], it is just they did a better job as a team and made the right call,” he said.
Max Verstappen beat Lando Norris to win the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday
| REUTERS“We already know why we didn’t make the right decision; you can’t get them all right, so they do their job, and I’ll do mine.”
The misstep has heightened tension ahead of Sunday’s finale.
Norris can secure the world championship by finishing third or better, or by finishing ahead of both Verstappen and Piastri.
But the Qatar result - and the attention it has drawn - has added fresh pressure at precisely the moment McLaren hoped for calm.