In a move that has sent shockwaves through the Formula 1 paddock, McLaren has made the stunning decision to abandon its carefully managed approach to team racing, unleashing drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in an unrestricted, “gloves off” battle for the 2025 World Championship. This dramatic policy shift, leaked by F1 photographer Kim Ilman following conversations with team insiders in Singapore, promises a thrilling and potentially volatile conclusion to a season that has seen the Woking-based team rise to the pinnacle of motorsport once more.

For months, the so-called “papaya rules” have dictated the terms of engagement between the two young superstars, a set of guidelines designed to ensure team harmony and maximize points in their successful bid for the constructors’ title. But with that trophy now secured, the dynamic has fundamentally changed. “I spoke to a couple of people in the team tonight, and they suggested that the gloves definitely will be off, and Papaya rules… well, probably that’s gone by the wayside too,” Ilman revealed, confirming the long-held speculation that the internal peace at McLaren was a fragile one.

The decision to let their drivers race freely is a high-stakes gamble. On one hand, it liberates Piastri and Norris to pursue individual glory, a tantalizing prospect for two of the most ambitious talents on the grid. On the other, it risks a catastrophic implosion, with the looming threat of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen ready to pick up the pieces should the McLaren duo take each other out. With a 22-point advantage over his teammate, Piastri is in the driver’s seat, but the gap is far from insurmountable with six races and two sprint weekends remaining. Verstappen, trailing Piastri by a mere 63 points, remains a formidable threat, and any infighting at McLaren could hand him the championship on a silver platter.

The timing of this revelation is no coincidence. Tensions have been simmering beneath the surface at McLaren for some time, particularly from Piastri’s camp. The Australian, despite leading the championship for much of the season, has found himself on the receiving end of several contentious team decisions that have favored Norris. This has led to a growing sense of frustration, with Piastri’s manager, former F1 driver Mark Webber, reportedly playing an increasingly influential role behind the scenes. Webber, who knows the pressures of a championship fight all too well from his time at Red Bull, is said to be pushing his protégé to adopt a more ruthless approach. “I don’t think Mark Webber is going to be telling Oscar to play the team game for the rest of those six races,” Ilman noted. “I think it’s going to be gloves off.”

The media narrative surrounding Piastri has also been a source of contention. A recent incident in Singapore, where it was falsely reported that Piastri had deliberately disconnected his radio to ignore congratulations from team CEO Zak Brown, highlights the unfair scrutiny the young Australian has faced. The truth was a simple matter of technical timing—Piastri had already shut down his car’s systems—but the story of a disrespectful driver quickly gained traction, fitting a narrative that some outlets have been keen to promote. This pattern of negative coverage, contrasted with the more favorable press his teammate often receives, has only added to the pressure on the championship leader.

The debate over McLaren’s management style has drawn commentary from across the F1 world. Sky Sports analyst Ted Kravitz has been a vocal critic, unfavorably comparing the current leadership’s approach to the more straightforward, cutthroat ethos of the Ron Dennis era. “Even Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard, under the Ron Dennis McLaren… yes, they would have the rules, ‘please don’t knock into each other,’ but they certainly wouldn’t have had any of this ‘let’s try and make it fair to each other by giving places back,’” Kravitz argued. He believes that in their attempt to be fair, the “warm and cozy” new McLaren has only created more problems for itself.

Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has offered a more direct, if characteristically blunt, assessment. Speaking on the Red Flags podcast, Steiner argued that McLaren must make a clear choice and back the driver with the best chance of winning the title—and in his view, that driver is unequivocally Oscar Piastri. “Either you let them race, or if you’re worried about losing the championship, you have to make the call,” Steiner stated. “You have to tell one guy, and obviously, that one guy is Piastri because he has got more points than Lando.” His reasoning is based on simple mathematics and consistent performance, and he warns that indecision could lead to disaster. “If they lose the drivers’ world championship now, then you’ve got two unhappy drivers. At least if you favor one, you’ve only got one unhappy driver.”

Despite the external criticism, McLaren’s team principal, Andrea Stella, has publicly defended his drivers’ right to express their frustrations. Following Piastri’s heated radio messages in Singapore, Stella was quick to support his driver, emphasizing that direct communication is encouraged within the team. “Obviously, Oscar made some statements while he was in the car, but that’s the kind of character that we want to have from our drivers,” Stella told journalists. “They have to make their position very clear. That’s what we ask them.” He promised a thorough review of the Singapore incident, similar to the process that followed the teammates’ collision in Canada earlier in the season, insisting that such open dialogue ultimately makes the team “more united and stronger.”

Now, with the shackles removed, the stage is set for a dramatic showdown, beginning with the upcoming United States Grand Prix. For Piastri, this is the opportunity to prove he can win a world title without the complications of team politics. For Norris, it’s a chance to race with the aggression and freedom he has long desired, without fear of reprisal. The working relationship between the two, both on long-term contracts, will be tested to its limits in the coming weeks.

For McLaren, the stakes could not be higher. The team has the chance to claim its first drivers’ championship since Lewis Hamilton’s triumph in 2008, a crowning achievement that would cement their return to the top of Formula 1. But to do so, they must navigate the treacherous waters of internal rivalry, ensuring that the fight for individual glory does not ultimately hand the title to their biggest rival. It is a delicate balancing act, one that will define McLaren’s 2025 season and go down in the annals of F1 history. The gloves are off, the battle lines are drawn, and the world is watching.