McLaren CEO Zak Brown has stated that the team will continue its existing competitive strategy between its two drivers, often referred to as “papaya rules,” despite public criticism and debate throughout the 2025 Formula 1 season. Brown clarified that fairness between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will remain a priority.
Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur acknowledged that the decision to redirect development resources from the 2025 Formula 1 car to the 2026 project early in the season had a larger psychological effect on the team than expected. The move was made after early competitiveness gaps became clear and involved reducing aerodynamic updates for the 2025 car.
Max Verstappen’s win in Qatar kept the 2025 F1 title fight alive and turned a strong McLaren weekend into a missed opportunity. Several drivers and teams left Lusail with momentum, while others lost points and confidence at a critical stage of the season.
McLaren fears that tyre durability issues seen at the Qatar Grand Prix could influence the title fight, with sharp gravel, rising pressures and unexpected vibrations creating unpredictable race conditions.
Oscar Piastri topped the only practice session in Qatar, while Red Bull failed to extract performance from the soft tyres. Max Verstappen placed sixth and Yuki Tsunoda fell to thirteenth after traffic and poor sector one execution.
Max Verstappen says he is “all in” for the final stretch of the 2025 season as he aims to overturn Lando Norris’s 24-point lead and claim a fifth straight F1 title. With 58 points remaining, the Red Bull driver is prepared for an “all-out battle” after a strong late-season comeback.
From 2026, tighter financial regulations will make strategic power unit changes impractical. FIA officials explain why the current rules allow manipulation and how the new framework will remove that gap.
Lando Norris edged Andrea Kimi Antonelli by under a tenth to take sprint pole at Interlagos, while Yuki Tsunoda’s disrupted preparation led to an SQ1 exit. Ferrari struggled, Aston Martin impressed, and a tight midfield battle defined the session.












