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McLaren and F1 could do with anything decisive in the title fight between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri getting resolved on the track and without reference to team orders as the championship finale begins at the COTA on Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout leads to team tensions

With the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and tense post-race analyses concluded, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a fresh start. Norris was likely fully conscious about the historical parallels of his riposte toward his upset colleague at the last race weekend. In a fiercely contested title fight against Piastri, 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 to those that defined the Brazilian’s great rivalries.

“Should you criticize me for just going an inside move through an opening then you don't belong in Formula One,” stated Norris regarding his first-lap move to pass that led to their vehicles making contact.

His comment appeared to paraphrase the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go an available gap that exists then you cease to be a racing driver” justification he gave to Sir Jackie Stewart 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 phrasing marks where parallels stop. The late champion confessed he had no intent to allow Prost beat him at turn one whereas Norris attempted to make his pass cleanly in Singapore. Indeed, his maneuver was legitimate which received no penalty even with the glancing blow he made against his McLaren teammate during the pass. That itself was a result of him clipping the Red Bull driven by Verstappen in front of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, instantly stated that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; the implication being their collision was forbidden under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris should be instructed to return 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 intervene on his behalf.

Squad management and impartiality under scrutiny

This comes naturally from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete one another and to try to maintain strict fairness. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents about what defines just or unjust – under these conditions, now includes bad luck, strategy and racing incidents like in Marina Bay – there is the question regarding opinions.

Most crucially to the title race, six races left, Piastri is ahead of Norris by twenty-two points, there is what each driver perceives as fair and when their opinion may diverge with that of the McLaren pitwall. Which is when their friendly rapport among them may – finally – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It will reach a point where minor points count,” said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff post-race. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I suppose aggression will increase a bit more. That’s when it starts to get interesting.”

Audience expectations and championship implications

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, getting interesting will probably be welcomed in the form of a track duel instead of a spreadsheet-based arbitration of circumstances. Not least because in Formula One the other impression from all this isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren are making the correct decisions for themselves and it has paid off. They secured their 10th constructors’ title in Singapore (albeit a brilliant success diminished by the controversy from the Norris-Piastri moment) and with Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and upright commander who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Racing purity versus squad control

Yet having drivers competing for the title appealing to the team to decide matters appears unsightly. Their competition ought to be determined on track. Chance and fate will have roles, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, rather than the sense that every disputed moment will be pored over by the team to determine if they need to intervene and subsequently resolved later in private.

The examination will intensify with every occurrence it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Already, after the team made for position swaps at Monza because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by with the strategy call at Hungary, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also looms.

Team perspective and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to witness a championship 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 challenging moments and we discussed various aspects,” he said post-race. “But ultimately it’s a learning process for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. McLaren have little wriggle room left for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser to just stop analyzing and step back from the conflict.