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The British racing team and Formula One could do with any conclusive outcome during this championship battle involving Norris & Oscar Piastri getting resolved through on-track action rather than without reference to team orders with the championship finale begins this weekend at COTA starting Friday.

Marina Bay race aftermath prompts internal strain

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and tense debriefs concluded, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a reset. The British driver was likely fully conscious of the historical context of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate during the previous grand prix weekend. During an intense title fight with the Australian, that Norris invoked one of Ayrton Senna’s well-known quotes was lost on no one but the incident which triggered his statement differed completely from incidents characterizing Senna's great rivalries.

“If you fault me for simply attempting on the inside of a big gap then you don't belong in F1,” stated Norris regarding his first-lap move to pass which resulted in their vehicles making contact.

His comment seemed to echo the Brazilian legend's “Should you stop attempting for a gap that exists then you cease to be a racing driver” defence he gave to the racing knight following his collision with the French champion in Japan back in 1990, securing him the championship.

Similar spirit yet distinct situations

While the spirit remains comparable, the phrasing is where the similarities end. Senna later admitted he never intended of letting Prost to defeat him through the first corner while Norris did try to make his pass cleanly at the Marina Bay circuit. In fact, it was a perfectly valid effort which received no penalty even with the glancing blow he had with his team colleague during the pass. That itself was a result of him touching the car driven by Verstappen in front of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, immediately declared that Norris gaining the place seemed unjust; suggesting that their collision was verboten by team protocols of engagement and Norris should be instructed to return the place he had made. The team refused, but it was indicative that in any cases of contention, both will promptly appeal to the team to intervene in their favor.

Squad management and impartiality being examined

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete against each other and strive to maintain strict fairness. Aside from creating complex dilemmas when establishing rules about what defines fair or unfair – which, under these auspices, now covers bad luck, tactical calls and racing incidents like in Marina Bay – there remains the issue regarding opinions.

Of most import for the championship, with six meetings remaining, Piastri is ahead of Norris by 22 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 among them may – finally – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It’s going to come a point where minor points count,” commented Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff post-race. “Then they’ll start to calculate and back-calculate and I suppose aggression will increase further. That's when it begins to become thrilling.”

Audience expectations and championship implications

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will probably be welcomed in the form of an on-track confrontation rather than a spreadsheet-based arbitration of circumstances. Especially since in Formula One the other impression from all this isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking appropriate choices for themselves with successful results. They secured their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success overshadowed by the controversy from the Norris-Piastri moment) and with Stella as team principal they have an ethical and upright commander who truly aims to act correctly.

Racing purity versus team management

Yet having drivers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall to decide matters appears unsightly. Their contest should be decided through racing. Chance and fate will play their part, yet preferable to allow them simply go at it and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that each contentious incident will be pored over by the team to determine if intervention is needed and subsequently resolved afterwards behind closed doors.

The examination will intensify with every occurrence it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Already, following the team's decision for position swaps in Italy due to Norris experiencing a slow pit 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

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 that they did, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“We've had several difficult situations and we’ve spoken about a number of things,” he said post-race. “But ultimately it’s a learning process for the entire squad.”

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.