Piastri details 2025 target after over-hyped McLaren 'furore'

Oscar Piastri has explained his target this year is to score more points, to ensure McLaren do not introduce team orders. 

The Australian and team-mate Lando Norris led the Woking squad to its first constructors' title since 1998 last season, whilst battling a media storm over team orders. 

Mid-season, McLaren introduced papaya rules, a term it used to reference team orders. It was brought in after Norris ignored several instructions in Hungary to return the race lead to Piastri, something he eventually did, en route to a one-two finish at the Hungaroring. 

Effectively, the phrase was a message to the drivers to race each other gently, akin to rules of engagement, before stricter team orders were used after the pair almost collided on the opening lap in Monza. 

By the end of the season, Norris was offered some preferential treatment over Piastri in his pursuit of the drivers' title.

The 23-year-old recognises what he must do to avoid a repeat this year and the return of papaya rules.

"Yeah, definitely you want to earn everything that you can on merit," Piastri told RacingNews365 in an exclusive interview. "But again, it happened once, going both ways. 

"I think for me, the biggest thing is to make sure I'm in a better position in the drivers' standings. Where I'm not subject to that in some ways, because if we were even on points, then it wouldn't have been a topic. 

"So I think for me, putting myself in a stronger position initially is important, and that's probably the biggest takeaway. 

"I think it's just making sure I'm scoring the points, maximising opportunities. Because, really, that's what led to the team orders. So that's my goal."

Whilst the media went into pandemonium over papaya rules, Piastri notes that McLaren team principal Andrea Stella only used it on two occasions. 

According to the two-time grand prix winner, it was used in Azerbaijan when Norris was required to hold up Sergio Perez, and again in the São Paulo sprint when Piastri relinquished the lead to the Briton, a favour that was ultimately returned in Qatar.

Nonetheless, Piastri is insistent the Woking-based outfit remained in control of the situation internally, with its team orders having been made into a bigger topic in the press than necessary.

"To be honest, I don't think the papaya rules overshadowed our year at all," he said. "There was a lot of discussion about it externally, but internally, it was very clear for us what the deal was.

"Just the topic by nature, is not an easy one, no matter how you try to cover it off. So I think it was made into a much, much bigger thing than it ever was. 

"In reality, it only came to fruition in Brazil, in the sprint, and actually went the opposite way in Baku. So I think it was made a much bigger deal than it it was."

As pointed out by the Australian driver, what let McLaren down at times was its execution and decision making. 

He believes this improved as the 2024 season developed but that, again, its use of team orders was discussed by the media more than it needed to be.

"I think for the team, there's been other points that we've maybe lost out on some points," Piastri noted. "Some of the execution of some of our races have been learning points, sometimes painful learning points. 

"But I feel like in the second half of the season, we have been much better in terms of strategy and effectively just learning to race at the front again, so I think that's been a really good thing. 

"And yes, I always have a voice in these kind of things, and I had a voice the whole way through when we were discussing about team orders. But again, I think it was a much bigger deal to everyone outside of the team."