'Papaya rules' cost McLaren points as Norris and Piastri crash
McLaren might consider reviewing their "papaya rules" after a collision between their drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris at the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday cost the team points in the championship.
The "papaya rules" allow Norris and Piastri to race each other in an aggressive but clean way without the team's intervention and with neither of them being considered the number one driver.
Advertisement
"Papaya rules are, you know, it's your team-mate. Race him hard, race him clean, don't touch," chief executive Zak Brown explained last year, with papaya referencing the team colours.
This strategy played a negative role in Norris' title fight last season as he missed out on the crown to Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
At the 2024 Italian Grand Prix, for example, the McLaren duo went wheel to wheel and Piastri made his way past polesitter Norris in the opening lap and ultimately finished ahead of the Briton.
McLaren's lack of pecking order with its two drivers in that race also paved the way for Charles Leclerc's victory, which at the time put Ferrari into the constructor's title fight.
Advertisement
In Canada on Sunday, Norris again left crucial points behind as he didn't finish the race following a collision with Piastri with three laps to go.
The two McLarens had a fierce fight in the final laps, going wheel to wheel on lap 67. Piastri went ahead, but Norris braked too late and ran into the back of the championship leader.
"I'm sorry, all my bad, all my fault. Sorry, stupid from me," Norris said over the radio. In the driver's mixed zone, the two shook hands and Norris apologized.
While Piastri was unharmed and finished fourth, Norris - who is second in the drivers' standings - saw the gap to Piastri increase to 22 points.
Advertisement
Many fans believed that a crash between the two was just a matter of time, while Brown said earlier this year that he expected Norris and Piastri to collide at some point.
"I know everyone's kind of waiting for the moment (and) I think that moment will come when they're racing each other very hard and somebody gets it a little bit wrong," Brown told The Race F1 Podcast in April.
"But I'm not worried about the outcome. Because we've discussed it, we know it's more of a when than an if."
Inside the team, some even believed that the sooner the two collided, the better. But the strategy going forward is unclear.
Advertisement
The good news for title holders McLaren is that they still have a big lead in the constructors' championship - 175 points ahead of Mercedes, who took second place thanks to George Russell's win and Kimi Antonelli's maiden F1 podium in Canada.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Michigan gets incredible news on top running back recruit Savion Hiter
Michigan gets incredible news on top running back recruit Savion Hiter originally appeared on The Sporting News The Michigan Wolverines have been in the headlines a lot lately, but not for the best of reasons. However, that's changing on Tuesday morning, as the Wolverines got some incredible news on one of the top recruits in the nation. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that top running back recruit Savion Hiter is committing to Michigan. It's an incredible pickup for the Wolverines and is a great pairing with Bryce Underwood as two top teenagers coming to the program. How Hiter can impact Michigan The Wolverines got a commitment from Hiter, a five-star running back recruit who was deciding between Michigan, Georgia, Ohio State and Tennessee. He chose Michigan only a few days after punishments were dished out to Michigan for its sign-stealing scheme. Such punishment didn't impact their recruiting class, as Hiter is an incredible pickup for the program ahead of the 2025 season. The five-star recruit out of Mineral, Virginia, had offers from a lot of the top programs in College Football, but decided to commit to Michigan amid the Wolverines' strong pursuit. MORE: Michigan starting quarterback still an 'open competition' according to Sherrone Moore The 5'11, 203-pound running back is a great runner and can also be a factor in the passing game. In 2024, Hiter had 156 carries for 1,698 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns with 199 receiving yards. Michigan is getting an incredible running back, who ranks as the top player in Virginia, the top running back in the nation, and a top 10 player overall. The Wolverines strongly pursued the Virginia running back, and despite tough competition, were able to bring one of the top recruits in the nation to Michigan to set up their running back for success in the future. MORE NCAAF NEWS: Oregon receives negative injury update involving 5-star freshman College football updated polls: AP Top 25, Coaches Poll rankings released for 2025 season Abdul Carter calls for fellow Penn State star rusher Micah Parsons to get paid Oregon's Jeremiah McClellan reveals reason for Ohio State commitment flip Notre Dame football's interest in joining Big Ten revealed
Yahoo
2 minutes ago
- Yahoo
BYU true freshman QB Bear Bachmeier reportedly named starter
BYU has reportedly decided on a starting quarterback. According to ESPN, freshman Bear Bachmeier will start vs. Portland State in Week 1. Bachmeier was competing with Treyson Bourguet and McCae Hillstead to replace Jake Retzlaff. Bachmeier will also be the first true freshman to start a season-opener for the Cougars. BYU had entered the season assuming that Retzlaff would be the team's starting QB again. However, he left the school after he was facing a suspension for honor code violations. Retzlaff, now at Tulane, had been sued by a woman who claimed that the QB sexually assaulted her in the fall of 2023. The suit was dismissed in June and Retzlaff had insisted that what happened between the two was consensual. However, premarital sex is an honor code violation at BYU, and Retzlaff would have been suspended for more than half the season if he stayed. Retzlaff threw for over 2,900 yards and rushed for 417 as BYU started the 2024 season 9-0 before finishing it 11-2 after beating Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. Bachmeier transferred to BYU from Stanford in the spring. He initially committed to the Cardinal in February of 2024 and enrolled early to participate in spring practices at Stanford. He transferred from Palo Alto less than two months after Stanford fired coach Troy Taylor. BYU hosts Stanford in Week 2. Bachmeier, the brother of former Boise State, Wake Forest and Louisiana Tech QB Hank Bachmeier, was a three-star recruit in the class of 2025. He ranked as the No. 33 player in the state of California and the No. 28 quarterback in the country. Fans tuning into see BYU and Bachmeier may also do a double-take when he's on the field. Bachmeier wears No. 47, a number more often associated with a linebacker or fullback than a quarterback. He wore that number while in high school in Murrieta, California.
Forbes
4 minutes ago
- Forbes
Aaron Ekblad On Why He Re-Signed With Florida Panthers At Discounted Rate: ‘We Wanted To Be Here'
Aaron Ekblad will likely end his career with the Florida Panthers. The Panthers' second-longest tenured player re-upped with the only franchise he's ever known this offseason on an eight-year, $48.8 million deal. Despite rumored interest from other teams – including more money – the 29-year-old re-signed with the Panthers ($6.1 million annually) for what was considered less than his market value. The former Calder Memorial Trophy winner – the NHL's Rookie of the Year award – details why he decided to re-sign with the Panthers as they seek to three-peat. 'I never made it to free agency, so I'm not sure exactly what was out there,' says Ekblad in a one-on-one interview. 'We felt that there was a market for me in other places. But at the end of the day, it was always the Florida Panthers, and we wanted to be here. Whether or not it was discount or not, the important thing was to be a Florida Panther for life.' For perspective, Ekblad's previous deal with the Panthers was for eight years and $60 million signed back during the 2016 offseason. Fast forward nearly a decade later when salaries across all sports have skyrocketed and Ekblad is signing for less than he did in 2016. There are a lot of factors to that, especially when considering the Panthers are now a Stanley Cup powerhouse. In other words, the veteran stars need to take a discount for it to fit under the salary cap to keep the entire core together, which is what general manager Bill Zito has done. Secondly, Ekblad's role has changed a bit where he's one of the many core members. Back in 2016, he was probably considered one of the three young core members of the Panthers alongside Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau. Fast forward to now and he's one of the many core members alongside guys like Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart and Sergei Bobrovsky among countless others. While the Panthers' aspirations have changed and their roster has obviously become more loaded with stars, Ekblad is still considered in the prime of his career and considered a key piece of the team. According to NHL insider James Mirtle of The Athletic, the Detroit Red Wings could have offered Ekblad a more lucrative contract. He could have signed for much more than the average annual value of the $6.1 million he signed in Florida. Ekblad has been around since the days when the Panthers were an afterthought in the NHL universe, which wasn't too long ago. Florida In a short period of time, they've emerged as South Florida's new favorite sports team. The Panthers missed the playoffs four times in Ekblad's first five seasons. The 29-year-old veteran details Florida's rise as a hockey powerhouse. 'It's been a whirlwind,' says Ekblad of the franchise's growth over the past 11 years. 'It's been a long, tough ride for myself, personally, ups and downs with injuries and stuff like that. But extremely proud of the team and the fact that we're in this condition now is never easy to attain or sustain. We feel that we work hard every day to do that.' Ekblad says he's 'extremely happy' to be in the position that he's in. He admits he didn't expect the Panthers to become the powerhouse they've become. That's not hard to believe considering the Panthers went 26 years (between 1996 and 2022) without winning a playoff series. 'Absolutely,' says Ekblad. 'I mean for myself, the goal to play for one team and playing for the Florida Panthers forever wasn't always something that was a sure thing. The fact that it's happened for me and and our team now winning two Stanley Cups, I can't say that I ever expected it. I'm extremely happy and excited to to be in this position.' Ekblad's latest contract ends when he's 37 years old. The intention is to retire as a member of the Panthers, marking 19 total seasons with the club. That would set a record, assuming Barkov doesn't stay and retire after Ekblad. When asked what it's going to take for a three-peat, Ekblad says it's going to be a lot of 'determination and preparation.' 'A lot of heart, determination, preparation,' says Ekblad. 'Obviously, a lot of us have been on the ice for two, three-to-four weeks now and in the gym no more than a week or two after the season. It's important to continue to build on what you have, and we feel we're in a good position to do so.' While the Panthers fan favorite is obviously bracing for another long season as Florida looks to continue their dominance on the ice, he's keeping busy in the offseason. Ekblad made an appearance at Huey Magoo's in Boca Raton, Florida, which is located less than 30 mins from the team's arena at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise. Ekblad and countless others Panthers players have made multiple public appearances since winning the Stanley Cup, staying active in the community while meeting fans. 'I think you see all the time, a lot of us are out in the community, whether it's engagement opportunities like this with Huey Magoo's or charitable experiences or anything that the Florida Panthers Foundation does in the community,' says Ekblad. 'We're obviously proud to be a part of the community, and for myself, potentially 19 seasons with the Florida Panthers. Extremely proud to be a Panther and to be able to do things like this.' The longtime Panthers veteran hung out with fans, signed autographs and ate some of Huey Magoo's most-known food staple, their chicken tenders. Unsurprisingly, Ekblad says that's his favorite item on the menu. 'Chicken tenders,' says Ekblad when asked what his favorite item is. "That's No. 1 for me, I love it. The filet mignon (chicken tenders).
