Formula 1 News: Zak Brown hits back at senator jokes about ‘Papaya rules’

(GMM) McLaren CEO Zak Brown (pictured) has fired back after a tongue-in-cheek question in Australia’s parliament reignited debate about the team’s so-called ‘Papaya rules’ and whether Oscar Piastri has been disadvantaged.

At a committee meeting on agriculture and transport, Queensland senator Matt Canavan asked a minister whether he thought Piastri had been deliberately disadvantaged so that Lando Norris could be crowned 2025 champion.

When told about the exchange, Piastri took it in good humor.

“I think it’s pretty cool that I made it all the way to parliament. That doesn’t happen every day for a racing driver. It’s always nice to receive support from home,” the Australian smiled.

Brown, however, was less amused.

“This senator is clearly ill-informed and doesn’t understand our sport. There are plenty of uneducated people out there with their opinions, and if I had to correct them all, I’d have nothing else to do all day long,” he said.

“I find it very regrettable that people in parliament, who in my opinion are quite far removed from understanding Formula 1, make such statements. For my part, I wouldn’t dare to judge their work because I’m not sufficiently informed. But I bet I could also make a few comments.”

The remarks come after a season in which McLaren’s internal management between Piastri and teammate Lando Norris was frequently under scrutiny and criticism.

Brown insists the team operates on equal terms.

“Oscar knows – and he’s said it himself many times – that he has a fair chance of winning the title. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Sometimes things go your way, sometimes they don’t. That’s just how it is in our sport.”

“We cost Oscar some points, we cost Lando a lot of points in Holland when the engine blew, and so on. We remain focused on the matter, and the fans need to know that we offer absolute sporting fairness.”

He was unequivocal in rejecting claims of favoritism.

“At McLaren, we operate according to the principle of complete sporting fairness. I categorically reject all accusations that we favor one driver over another – this is talk from people who are very poorly informed.”