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McLaren and F1 would benefit from any conclusive outcome in the title fight between Lando Norris & Oscar Piastri being decided through on-track action rather than without reference to the pit wall with the title run-in kicks off at the Circuit of the Americas starting Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout leads to team tensions

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and tense post-race analyses dealt with, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a reset. Norris was almost certainly fully conscious of the historical context of his riposte toward his upset colleague at the last race weekend. In a fiercely contested title fight with the Australian, that Norris invoked a famous Senna well-known quotes was lost on no one but the incident which triggered his statement was of an entirely different nature from incidents characterizing the Brazilian’s iconic battles.

“If you fault me for simply attempting on the inside through an opening then you should not be in Formula One,” Norris said regarding his first-lap move to pass that led to their vehicles making contact.

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 Sir Jackie Stewart after he ploughed into the French champion at Suzuka back in 1990, ensuring he took the championship.

Parallel mindset but different circumstances

Although the attitude remains comparable, the wording is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he had no intent of letting Prost to defeat him at turn one while Norris attempted to execute a clean overtake at the Marina Bay circuit. In fact, his maneuver was legitimate which received no penalty despite the minor contact he made against his team colleague as he went through. This incident stemmed from him touching the car of Max Verstappen in front of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, immediately declared that Norris gaining the place was “unfair”; the implication being their collision was verboten under McLaren’s rules of engagement and Norris should be instructed to give back the place he had made. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that in any cases between them, each would quickly ask the squad to step in in their favor.

Team dynamics and impartiality being examined

This is part and parcel of McLaren’s laudable efforts to allow their racers compete against each other and to try to be as scrupulously fair. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas when establishing rules about what defines fair or unfair – under these conditions, now includes bad luck, tactical calls and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there is the question regarding opinions.

Of most import to the title race, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, each racer's view exists on fairness and when their opinion may diverge with that of the McLaren pitwall. Which is when their friendly rapport between the two could eventually – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It will reach to a situation where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff after Singapore. “Then they’ll start to calculate and re-calculations and I suppose aggression will increase further. That's when it begins to get interesting.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will probably be welcomed as a track duel instead of a data-driven decision of circumstances. Not least because for F1 the alternative perception from these events is not particularly rousing.

To be fair, McLaren is taking appropriate choices for themselves and it has paid off. They secured their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (though a great achievement diminished by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and with Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and upright commander who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Sporting integrity against team management

However, with racers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall for resolutions is unedifying. Their competition should be decided on track. Chance and fate will have roles, but better to let them just battle freely and observe outcomes naturally, rather than the sense that each contentious incident will be analyzed intensely by the team to determine if intervention is needed and subsequently resolved later in private.

The examination will increase with every occurrence it risks potentially making a difference which might prove decisive. Previously, after the team made for position swaps at Monza due to Norris experiencing a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris won, the shadow of concern of favouritism also looms.

Squad viewpoint and future challenges

No one wants to see a title endlessly debated because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair were unequal. Questioned whether he believed the squad had managed to do right by both drivers, Piastri responded that they did, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“There’s been some difficult situations and we discussed a number of things,” he said after Singapore. “However finally it's educational for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. The team has minimal wriggle room left for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser now to simply stop analyzing and withdraw from the conflict.