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McLaren along with Formula One would benefit from anything decisive 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 prompts team tensions

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s undoubtedly thorough and tense debriefs concluded, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a fresh start. The British driver was almost certainly fully conscious of the historical context regarding his retort toward his upset colleague at the last race weekend. In a fiercely contested championship duel with the Australian, his reference to one of Ayrton Senna’s well-known quotes was lost on no one yet the occurrence that provoked his comment differed completely from incidents characterizing the Brazilian’s great rivalries.

“If you fault me for simply attempting on the inside through an opening then you don't belong in Formula One,” stated Norris regarding his first-lap move to overtake that led to the cars colliding.

The remark appeared to paraphrase the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go for a gap which is there then you cease to be a racing driver” defence he gave to the racing knight after he ploughed into the French champion at Suzuka back in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Parallel mindset but different circumstances

Although the attitude remains comparable, the wording marks where parallels stop. Senna later admitted he had no intent of letting Prost to defeat him at turn one while Norris did try to make his pass cleanly at the Marina Bay circuit. In fact, his maneuver was legitimate that went unpenalised despite the minor contact he made against his McLaren teammate during the pass. This incident was a result of him touching the Red Bull driven by Verstappen in front of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, immediately declared that Norris gaining the place was “unfair”; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was forbidden under McLaren’s rules of engagement and Norris ought to be told to return the place he had made. McLaren did not do so, yet it demonstrated that in any cases between them, each would quickly ask to the team to step in on his behalf.

Team dynamics and fairness under scrutiny

This is part and parcel of McLaren’s laudable efforts to allow their racers compete against each other and strive to maintain strict fairness. Aside from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents about what defines just or unjust – which, under these auspices, now covers bad luck, tactical calls and on-track occurrences like in Marina Bay – there is the question regarding opinions.

Most crucially for the championship, six races left, Piastri is ahead of Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists on fairness and when their perspectives might split from the team's stance. Which is when the amicable relationship between the two may – finally – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It will reach to a situation where minor points count,” commented Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and re-calculations and I guess the elbows are going to come out further. That's when it begins to become thrilling.”

Audience expectations and title consequences

For the audience, during this dual battle, getting interesting will likely be appreciated as a track duel instead of a spreadsheet-based arbitration regarding incidents. Especially since for F1 the other impression from all this isn't very inspiring.

To be fair, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for their interests with successful results. They clinched their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success overshadowed by the fuss prompted by the Norris-Piastri moment) and in Andrea Stella as team principal they have an ethical and upright commander who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Racing purity versus squad control

However, with racers competing for the title appealing to the team for resolutions appears unsightly. Their contest should be decided on track. Luck and destiny will have roles, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, than the impression that each contentious incident will be pored over by the team to determine if intervention is needed and then cleared up afterwards behind closed doors.

The scrutiny will intensify and each time it happens it risks potentially making a difference which might prove decisive. Already, after the team made their drivers swap places at Monza because Norris had endured a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he was treated unfairly with the strategy call at Hungary, where Norris triumphed, the shadow of concern of favouritism also emerges.

Squad viewpoint and future challenges

No one wants to see a title constantly disputed over perceived that the efforts to be fair had not been balanced. Questioned whether he felt the team had managed to do right toward both racers, Piastri responded that they did, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“There’s been some challenging moments and we discussed a number of things,” he said post-race. “However finally it's educational with the whole team.”

Six races stay. McLaren have little wriggle room left to do their cramming, so it may be better to just stop analyzing and step back from the fray.