'Papaya rules' can derail Norris

LANDO Norris has admitted that there will be “repercussions until the end of the season” after his costly clash with teammate Oscar Piastri in Singapore, a rare but telling moment of pressure that threatens to define McLaren’s championship battle.

- JEHRAN NAIDOO

The Lap 1 contact between the two papaya cars was not only a breach of trust within the team, but a direct violation of the internal “papaya rules” that stress cooperation above all else when fighting for titles.

Norris has since accepted responsibility, but the incident has placed him under an unwanted spotlight heading into Austin. The mistake could hardly have come at a more delicate stage of the season. Piastri still leads the championship by a slender margin, with Norris and Max Verstappen both close behind.

The trio are locked in a fierce fight where each point is critical, and in such conditions composure often becomes more valuable than outright speed. Yet in Singapore, Norris appeared to let the nerves get the better of him, squeezing Piastri too aggressively in a move that looked more like desperation than strategy.