McLaren CEO Zak Brown hinted that the team will keep its papaya rules between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for the F1 2026 season.

This season, McLaren got their first drivers' and constructors' title double since 1998, keeping the teams' championship with six races left.

The team had to wait until the final race in Abu Dhabi to get the drivers' title, with Norris beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by two points.

Norris's win made him the 11th British world champion and the first McLaren driver to win the title since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.

McLaren had a policy of total fairness during the F1 2025 season, not supporting one driver over the other, even though Norris and Piastri both had good point advantages during the season.

The team's approach was often criticised, especially after the race in Qatar, where Piastri and Norris didn't pit under an early safety car.

At the time, Piastri and Norris were in first and third place, but they ended up finishing second and fourth after missing a free pit stop, while Verstappen won the race.

At the FIA's prize-giving gala on Friday, Brown said he was happy about Qatar and how McLaren won both titles by being fair to Norris and Piastri.

He also said that the policy would continue next season, saying it’s exactly what we plan to do in F1 2026.

He said, “A great season.

“Everyone at McLaren has done a great job, led by our two drivers.

“And thanks to the job Andrea has done leading our team.

“To go into the final race with two drivers fighting for the world championship, when everyone said that it was impossible, I’m just very proud of how McLaren went racing, and that’s what we plan to do next year.”

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said, “The drivers are the ones who do the job.

“They are the ones that deliver the results, the points, the wins, and the podiums, which made us the constructors’ champions.

“We are also very aware of how the drivers acted, allowing McLaren to go racing.

“That’s what we do—we go racing—and we did it with equality and fairness, so thank you to Lando and Oscar.”

Helmut Marko, Red Bull's motorsport advisor, is sure Max Verstappen will be fine without him. He said his leaving won't have any negative effect on the Dutch driver.

After more than 20 years with Red Bull, Marko announced he would leave. The announcement came after the Abu Dhabi GP, which closed the season.

Marko, at 82, has seen it all in Formula 1. He says he still has the energy to keep going if he wants to.

Marko had thought about retiring if Verstappen tied the record with a fifth straight driver's title. But since Lando Norris beat the 28-year-old, he thinks now is still the right time to leave.

"I still have energy, but that's not the point," Marko told oe24. The point is to keep my enthusiasm and passion for the job. That's what I planned if we won the title.

Since we didn't win, I changed my mind and thought it should still apply now. You have to know when it's time to stop. I was the one in charge.

Marko and Verstappen had a strong relationship. However, the four-time world champion couldn't make a planned meal with Marko.

Max couldn't come to the dinner because of flight issues, Marko said. But we'll meet soon. I don't know if it will happen before Christmas.

Since Verstappen started in Formula 1, Marko has always been there to support him.

They became a strong pair. Marko knows that the Red Bull star doesn't need him anymore.

Things change, so you have to react differently. No one left here because of a fight. Max is old enough now, and he doesn't need anyone to explain things to him. Max is great—he doesn't need anyone.