Max Verstappen Breaks Silence on McLaren Team Orders and Red Bull’s Stunning Resurgeces
Max Verstappen has brushed aside McLaren’s much-debated internal “papaya rules,” insisting that whatever choices the Woking-based outfit makes are not his concern. Speaking ahead of the final stretch of the 2025 championship, the reigning World Champion acknowledged that his focus remains solely on maximizing his own performance and capitalizing on Red Bull’s late-season revival. What makes the scenario even more astonishing is that, despite being written off earlier in the year, Verstappen is now back within mathematical reach of the title.
McLaren’s Team Orders Under the Spotlight
Across the season, McLaren have made several controversial strategic decisions, as they’ve tried to control the dynamic between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The team has repeatedly stepped in to prevent direct on-track battles, prioritizing point optimization over pure racing. The most talked-about example came at the Italian Grand Prix, where Piastri was instructed to move aside and return second place to Norris after the Briton lost time during a slow pit stop. That decision generated fierce debate – both externally and internally.
Piastri later revealed the psychological consequences of this incident. During the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, he suffered one of the messiest performances of his F1 career: crashing in qualifying, jumping the start, and colliding on the opening lap. In total, that chain of events contributed to a six-point swing in the title fight, pushing Norris ahead in the standings. Now, with just three races and the Qatar Sprint to go, only 24 points separate the McLaren pair. If Norris finishes ahead of Piastri in those remaining races and the sprint, he could clinch the championship by a razor-thin margin of just two points.
Verstappen: “It’s Not My Problem”
Addressing the situation, Verstappen was unbothered when asked about McLaren’s internal politics. The Dutchman made it clear that his job is to perform, not to judge other teams’ policies.
“That’s not really my problem, is it?” he said bluntly when asked about the “papaya rules.”
“As a team, they decide what they want to do, and I just focus on myself. What matters to me is having a car that can fight them. If we have the pace, we’ll beat them. That’s my only concern.”
His comments underline his belief that drivers should not waste energy over what happens inside rival garages. Instead, Verstappen remains laser-focused on revival – and that revival is what has many analysts astonished.
From 104 Points Down to a Title Outsider
Earlier in the year, Verstappen appeared completely out of contention. At one point, he trailed Oscar Piastri by a staggering 104 points, and many expected him to shift his focus to 2026. But Red Bull have mounted a dramatic recovery, winning three of the last four races as McLaren’s form faltered.
That effort has slashed his deficit to 49 points with 83 still available. It’s an extraordinary turnaround by a team that looked directionless in mid-season. Asked about the comeback, Verstappen admitted even he was surprised to still be relevant in the title hunt.
“Remarkable” Fightback
“To still be talking about being in the fight at this stage is already remarkable,” he admitted.
“It’s all down to the turnaround from the team. They never gave up – that is our biggest strength. When you’re more than 100 points down and you’re still technically in contention, that’s incredibly impressive.”
His comments reflect the resilience and culture at Red Bull. Although the team suffered a slump of performance during the mid-season, the combination of development work, strategy adjustments, and Verstappen’s consistency have revived hope. Many observers believe that if Red Bull recapture just a fraction of the dominant form they showed during previous championship runs, the pressure will shift dramatically back onto McLaren.
Pressure on McLaren – Advantage Verstappen?
While Verstappen has nothing to lose, McLaren now face an intensifying spotlight. Every strategy call, team order, or moment of hesitation could determine whether Norris finally claims his first world title or whether the team’s intra-driver management will cost them everything.
Norris has been the more stable of the two drivers, but the mathematics show that even a single bad race or mechanical failure could crack the title open for Verstappen. Meanwhile, Piastri must balance loyalty to team strategy with his personal championship ambitions.
What makes the situation even more compelling is the psychological momentum. Verstappen comes into the final rounds as the hunter, not the hunted. He has done the improbable before, and Red Bull thrive under pressure. The question now is whether McLaren can hold their nerve.
With Everything Still to Play For…
With only a handful of points separating glory and heartbreak, the closing chapters of the 2025 season are shaping up to be some of the most intense in modern F1 history. Verstappen may not be in control of the championship – but his confidence and the timing of Red Bull’s resurgence means he remains a threat. And as he made perfectly clear, McLaren’s internal arrangements don’t matter to him.
His mind is on the fight, and if he gets the machinery he needs, he intends to win it.
