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McLaren and F1 would benefit from any conclusive outcome in the title fight involving Norris and Piastri getting resolved through on-track action and without reference to team orders with the championship finale begins this weekend at COTA on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix fallout prompts internal strain

After the Marina Bay event’s doubtless extensive and stressful debriefs dealt with, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a fresh start. The British driver was likely fully conscious about the historical parallels of his riposte toward his upset colleague during the previous grand prix weekend. During an intense title fight against Piastri, that Norris invoked a famous Senna most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed yet the occurrence which triggered his statement was of an entirely different nature to those that defined Senna's iconic battles.

“Should you criticize me for just going an inside move through an opening then you don't belong in Formula One,” Norris said regarding his first-lap move to pass which resulted in the cars colliding.

His comment seemed to echo the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go an available gap which is there then you cease to be a racing driver” justification he gave to the racing knight following his collision with the French champion at Suzuka back in 1990, securing him the championship.

Similar spirit but different circumstances

While the spirit is similar, the wording is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he never intended to allow Prost beat him at turn one while Norris attempted to make his pass cleanly in Singapore. In fact, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised despite the minor contact he made against his team colleague during the pass. That itself was a result of him clipping the car driven by Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, significantly, instantly stated that Norris gaining the place was “unfair”; suggesting that their collision was verboten under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris ought to be told to give back the position he gained. The team refused, yet it demonstrated that in any cases of contention, both will promptly appeal to the team to step in in their favor.

Squad management and impartiality under scrutiny

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race one another and to try to maintain strict fairness. Aside from tying some torturous knots when establishing rules over what constitutes just or unjust – under these conditions, now covers bad luck, tactical calls and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there is the question of perception.

Of most import to the title race, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, there is what each driver perceives as fair and at what point their perspectives might split with that of the McLaren pitwall. Which is when their friendly rapport between the two could eventually – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It’s going to come to a situation where minor points count,” said Mercedes team principal Wolff after Singapore. “Then they’ll start to calculate and back-calculate and I suppose aggression will increase a bit more. That's when it begins to get interesting.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For the audience, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will probably be welcomed in the form of a track duel rather than a data-driven decision of circumstances. Not least because for F1 the alternative perception from all this is not particularly rousing.

To be fair, McLaren is taking appropriate choices for themselves and it has paid off. They secured their tenth team championship at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success diminished by the controversy from their drivers' clash) and in Andrea Stella as team principal they possess a moral and upright commander who genuinely wants to act correctly.

Racing purity versus squad control

Yet having drivers competing for the title looking to the pitwall to decide matters appears unsightly. Their competition ought to be determined on track. Luck and destiny will play their part, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, rather than the sense that each contentious incident will be pored over by the squad to determine if they need to intervene and then cleared up later in private.

The examination will increase and each time it happens it risks potentially making a difference which might prove decisive. Previously, following the team's decision for position swaps in Italy because Norris had endured a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he was treated unfairly with the strategy call in Budapest, where Norris triumphed, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also emerges.

Squad viewpoint and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to see a title endlessly debated over perceived that the efforts to be fair were unequal. Questioned whether he believed the squad had acted correctly toward both racers, Piastri said he believed they had, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“There’s been some difficult situations and we’ve spoken about a number of things,” he said after Singapore. “However finally it’s a learning process with the whole team.”

Six meetings remain. The team has minimal wriggle room left for last-minute adjustments, so it may be better to just close the books and withdraw from the conflict.