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McLaren and F1 would benefit from anything decisive during this title fight between Norris and Oscar Piastri being decided through on-track action and without resorting to team orders with the championship finale begins this weekend at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Marina Bay race aftermath leads to internal strain

With the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and stressful post-race analyses dealt with, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a reset. Norris was almost certainly more than aware about the historical parallels regarding his retort toward his upset colleague at the last race weekend. During an intense championship duel 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 was of an entirely different nature to those that defined the Brazilian’s great rivalries.

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

The remark seemed to echo Senna’s “If you no longer go for a gap that exists then you cease to be a true racer” defence he gave to the racing knight after he ploughed into Alain Prost in Japan in 1990, ensuring he took the championship.

Similar spirit yet distinct situations

While the spirit is similar, the phrasing is where the similarities end. Senna later admitted he never intended of letting Prost beat him at turn one while Norris did try to execute a clean overtake in Singapore. In fact, his maneuver was legitimate that went unpenalised despite the minor contact he made against his team colleague as he went through. This incident was a result of him touching the car driven by Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, immediately declared that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; suggesting that their collision was verboten under McLaren’s rules of engagement and Norris should be instructed to return the position he gained. The team refused, yet it demonstrated that in any cases between them, both will promptly appeal to the team to intervene on his behalf.

Squad management and impartiality under scrutiny

This comes naturally from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete against each other and to try to be as scrupulously fair. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents over what constitutes fair or unfair – which, under these auspices, now covers bad luck, strategy and racing incidents like in Marina Bay – there is the question regarding opinions.

Of most import for the championship, with six meetings remaining, Piastri is ahead of Norris by twenty-two points, there is what each driver perceives as fair and at what point their opinion may diverge with that of the McLaren pitwall. Which is when the amicable relationship among them could eventually – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

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

Viewer desires and championship implications

For the audience, 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. Especially since for F1 the other impression from all this is not particularly rousing.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for themselves and it has paid off. They secured their 10th constructors’ title in Singapore (though a great achievement overshadowed by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and with Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and upright commander who truly aims to do the right thing.

Sporting integrity against team management

Yet having drivers in a championship fight appealing to the team for resolutions appears unsightly. Their competition should be decided through racing. Chance and fate will play their part, but better to let them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, than the impression that every disputed moment will be pored over by the team to determine if they need to intervene and then cleared up later in private.

The examination will increase and each time it happens it risks possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Previously, after the team made for position swaps in Italy due to Norris experiencing 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 looms.

Team perspective and future challenges

No one wants to witness a championship endlessly debated because it may be considered that fairness attempts were unequal. Questioned whether he felt the team had acted correctly toward both racers, Piastri responded he believed they had, but noted it's a developing process.

“We've had several difficult situations and we’ve spoken about various aspects,” he stated after Singapore. “But ultimately it’s a learning process with the whole team.”

Six meetings remain. The team has minimal room for error to do their cramming, so it may be better to just close the books and withdraw from the fray.