Zandvoort next up for the Formula One circus

After nearly a month off for the summer break, Formula One is back as fans, drivers, and teams descend on the seaside resort of Zandvoort for Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix.

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Zandvoort –

With 10 races to go, the world championship is finely poised as McLaren stars Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris battle it out with only nine points separating them.

AFP Sport takes a look at four talking points in the paddock ahead of the race.

Papaya rules (?)

Norris brilliantly won at Zandvoort last year and few would bet against the Briton or Australian team-mate Piastri taking the chequered flag on Sunday, given McLaren’s dominance this season.

The pair are free to race each other under the team’s “papaya rules” – named after McLaren’s colours – which boil down to “don’t crash into each other”, according to Piastri.

But that’s exactly what happened at the Canadian Grand Prix and as the championship hots up, fans are keen to know whether McLaren will change their rules to favour one driver.