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McLaren and Formula One would benefit from any conclusive outcome during this title fight involving Lando Norris & Piastri getting resolved on the track rather than without reference to the pit wall as the championship finale kicks off at the COTA on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix aftermath prompts team tensions

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s undoubtedly thorough and stressful debriefs concluded, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a fresh start. The British driver was likely fully conscious of the historical context of his riposte toward his upset colleague at the last grand prix weekend. In a fiercely contested championship duel against Piastri, his reference to one of Ayrton Senna’s well-known quotes was lost on no one yet the occurrence which triggered his statement was of an entirely different nature from incidents characterizing the Brazilian’s great rivalries.

“Should you criticize me for simply attempting an inside move through an opening then you should not be in F1,” Norris said of his opening-lap attempt to overtake that led to the cars colliding.

The remark appeared to paraphrase Senna’s “Should you stop attempting an available gap which is there then you cease to be a racing driver” defence he gave to the racing knight following his collision with Alain Prost in Japan back in 1990, securing him the title.

Similar spirit but different circumstances

Although the attitude is similar, the wording is where the similarities end. Senna later admitted he had no intent to allow Prost to defeat him through the first corner whereas Norris attempted to make his pass cleanly in Singapore. In fact, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised even with the glancing blow he made against his McLaren teammate during the pass. This incident was a result of him clipping the car of Max Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, immediately declared that Norris gaining the place was “unfair”; suggesting that their collision was forbidden by team protocols for racing and Norris should be instructed to return the position he gained. The team refused, yet it demonstrated that in any cases between them, each would quickly ask to the team to step in on his behalf.

Squad management and fairness being examined

This is part and parcel of McLaren’s laudable efforts to allow their racers compete one another and to try to be as scrupulously fair. Aside from tying some torturous knots when establishing rules about what defines fair or unfair – which, under these auspices, now covers misfortune, strategy and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there remains the issue regarding opinions.

Of most import to the title race, with six meetings remaining, Piastri leads Norris by 22 points, there is what each driver perceives as fair and at what point their perspectives might split from the team's stance. Which is when their friendly rapport among them may – finally – become a little bit more the iconic rivalry.

“It’s going to come a point where a few points will matter,” commented Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff post-race. “Then calculations will begin and re-calculations and I suppose aggression will increase a bit more. That's when it begins to become thrilling.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

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

To be fair, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for their interests with successful results. They clinched their tenth team championship at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success overshadowed by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and with Stella as squad leader they possess a moral and upright commander who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Racing purity versus team management

However, with racers competing for the title looking to the pitwall for resolutions appears unsightly. Their contest ought to be determined through racing. Luck and destiny will have roles, but better to let them simply go at it and observe outcomes naturally, rather than the sense 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 with every occurrence it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Already, following the team's decision their drivers swap places in Italy because Norris had endured a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris won, 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 fairness attempts had not been balanced. When asked if he felt the team had acted correctly by both drivers, Piastri said that they did, but noted it's a developing process.

“We've had several challenging moments and we discussed a number of things,” he stated post-race. “But ultimately it's educational for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. The team has minimal wriggle room left to do their cramming, thus perhaps wiser to just close the books and step back from the conflict.