After a dramatic few weeks of tension, pit stop chaos, and racing mind games, it looks like McLaren’s internal story is stealing headlines again, this time, with a bizarre rumour that the team might “build separate bunkers” for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Now, before anyone imagines Papaya engineers stacking bricks in the paddock, let’s unpack what this wild rumour actually means and where it’s coming from.
The Background
The so-called “bunker” rumour didn’t appear out of nowhere. It started after the United States Grand Prix, where both McLaren drivers had yet another awkward moment involving pit stop timing and post-race comments. Ever since the Singapore drama, where Lando’s aggressive move compromised Piastri’s race, whispers about a tense atmosphere within the team haven’t stopped.
Andrea Stella’s statement about there being “repercussions” for Norris only fueled the speculation, and when fans noticed McLaren’s slow second pit stops continuing through Austin and Brazil, the conspiracy theories began to snowball.
So now, ahead of the Abu Dhabi season finale, when both Papaya drivers are in contention for the Driver’s title, the talk of the paddock is: will McLaren actually create two separate bunkers, or, in simpler terms, two divided team bases, to avoid further friction between their drivers, or exchange of any in-race data? Let’s see where this rumour came from.
Where Did The Rumour Come From?
Social media did what it does best: run wild. A few fan pages and so-called insider accounts claimed that McLaren is “preparing two separate garage areas” at Yas Marina for their drivers, essentially, individual operation spaces like small bunkers, so both teams work independently without any overlap. Some fans even shared edited paddock images joking about “Team Papaya North” for Lando and “Team Papaya South” for Oscar.
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The idea quickly went viral, especially on TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), with joking comments like “McLaren Civil War: Abu Dhabi Edition” and “Lando and Oscar to be separated like rival school kids.” While most of it was clearly made in jest, enough fans started questioning whether there was any truth behind it.
Is It True?
Here’s the simple answer, no, McLaren isn’t actually building physical bunkers in Abu Dhabi. However, there is some truth to the broader story of the team keeping a bit more distance between the two sides of the garage this weekend.
According to reports from paddock insiders, McLaren is planning a slightly “modified garage setup” in Abu Dhabi, focusing on smoother internal coordination and reduced communication overlap between the engineers of both drivers. This is not unusual; teams sometimes tweak layouts or adjust workflows during tense final rounds, especially when championship points and internal politics are at play.
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At the end of the day, McLaren’s focus remains on finishing the season strong, preferably with a driver’s title.
So, no, McLaren isn’t building bunkers, but it sure feels like another storm is brewing under the orange tent in Abu Dhabi.
Also read: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025 FP2 Full Results
