Booed Norris refutes that the team directive was 'Papaya rules.'

      "It's about our philosophy"

      Max Verstappen surged to a commanding victory from pole position at Monza, but attention quickly turned to McLaren's management of its two title contenders. The Dutch driver, who is no longer a significant contender in the championship, ended McLaren's recent winning streak with an impressive performance. Meanwhile, Lando Norris faced boos from the 'tifosi' after he used a late-race team order, dubbed 'papaya rules,' to swap places with Oscar Piastri.

      Piastri, who was in the lead only because Norris had lost time during a problematic pit stop, initially resisted the order over the radio. "We said a slow pit stop is part of racing, so I'm not sure what's changed," the Australian protested. However, as he approached the podium, his attitude shifted in front of the media. "A little 'in-chi-dent' at the end, but that's fine," he laughed.

      On the podium, Norris was greeted with jeers despite closing the gap to Piastri in the championship standings. "I don’t know why," he remarked. "I heard them. I hear the cheers louder than the boos, and that’s what matters most." Norris also downplayed the idea of special "papaya rules" working in his favor. "There are no papaya rules anymore," he told DAZN with a smile. "We've never had them. The key is about fairness. We don't concern ourselves with what has happened before; we act according to what we believe is right."

      When asked about the length of McLaren's 'rules of engagement' document, he responded, "One page - I don’t think it’s even one page." Piastri acknowledged the team's authority but alluded to some lingering frustration. "I said what I needed to say on the radio," he admitted. "Once I received the second request, I wasn't going to go against the team. There are many people to consider and a culture to uphold beyond just Lando and me. The radio call speaks for itself. I'm sure we’ll talk about it again."

      Norris, however, made his stance clear. "The team is the priority. The team comes first, the drivers are second. That's how it operates. Typically, teams that don’t respect the organization and the opportunities it affords don’t last long."

      Verstappen chuckled when informed over the radio about the planned swap. "I know you want a fun answer regarding that," he told reporters afterward, "but it’s not my issue." Later, he shared with Viaplay in his native language: "In my view, a bad pit stop can occur, just like an engine failure or a driver error. That’s part of racing. So yes, I had to laugh a bit at Oscar giving up his position. I’ll leave it at that."

      Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff cautioned that McLaren may have set a concerning precedent. "I believe we’ll find out what the right decision was later in the season when things intensify," he commented. However, team principal Andrea Stella remained unapologetic. "It’s not about right or wrong," he expressed to Sky Italia. "It’s about our philosophy and how we want to approach racing. It had nothing to do with Lando’s technical retirement at Zandvoort." McLaren could secure the constructors’ championship in Baku.