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Verstappen looked puzzled: 'What does that mean, papaya rules?'
- Savannah Lenz
Max Verstappen has some opinions of McLaren's controversial "Papaya Rules." He thinks Lando Norris would have been closer to him in the championship standings if McLaren had not used those rules during the season. The season would have been different if the McLaren team had prioritized Norris, as Verstappen believes Norris could have easily doubled his points.
Verstappen was puzzled when he was asked about Papaya Rules during a VIAPLAY interview. "What does that mean, papaya rules? That doesn't help me at all. When I get told that by my engineer, I also say, 'Just shut up right away'. They should have solved all that much easier and better as a team." The interview, titled Simply Lovely, was one of the many things Verstappen had done before starting his break.
McLaren missed an opportunity
On the topic of McLaren and how they could have better handled the fight for the championship titles, Verstappen said, "They had a very good car this year, but I also think they clearly had a lot to learn to participate constantly. Of course, they did well for the constructors' championship, but they could also have prepared for the drivers' championship much better." After the summer break, it looked as if the fight for the drivers' championship was going to stretch until the last race. Unfortunately for Norris, Verstappen ended up winning the championship in Las Vegas two races early.
Does Verstappen believe Mclaren missed an opportunity? "Absolutely, 100 per cent."
This article was written in collaboration with Corwin Kunst.