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McLaren and Formula One could do with any conclusive outcome during this title fight between Norris & Oscar Piastri being decided through on-track action and without resorting to team orders as the title run-in begins at the Circuit of the Americas starting Friday.

Marina Bay race aftermath leads to team tensions

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and stressful debriefs dealt with, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a reset. Norris was almost certainly more than aware about the historical parallels of his riposte toward his upset colleague during the previous race weekend. In a fiercely contested title fight with the Australian, his reference to one of Ayrton Senna’s most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed but the incident which triggered his statement differed completely to those that defined Senna's iconic battles.

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

The remark seemed to echo Senna’s “If you no longer go an available gap which is there then you cease to be a racing driver” defence he gave to Sir Jackie Stewart after he ploughed into Alain Prost at Suzuka in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

Although the attitude remains comparable, the phrasing is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he had no intent of letting Prost beat him at turn one whereas Norris did try to make his pass cleanly in Singapore. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort which received no penalty despite the minor contact he had with his McLaren teammate as he went through. This incident was a result of him touching the car of Max Verstappen in front of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, immediately declared that Norris gaining the place seemed unjust; the implication being their collision was forbidden 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 during disputes of contention, each would quickly ask the squad to intervene on his behalf.

Squad management and fairness being examined

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete one another 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 includes bad luck, tactical calls and on-track occurrences such as in Singapore – there remains the issue regarding opinions.

Most crucially to the title race, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by 22 points, there is what each driver perceives on fairness and at what point their perspectives might split with that of the McLaren pitwall. Which is when the amicable relationship among them could eventually – become a little bit more the iconic rivalry.

“It’s going to come to a situation where minor points count,” commented Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and re-calculations and I suppose aggression will increase further. That’s when it starts to get interesting.”

Audience expectations and championship implications

For the audience, during this dual battle, getting interesting will probably be welcomed as an on-track confrontation rather than a spreadsheet-based arbitration of circumstances. Not least because for F1 the other impression from these events is not particularly rousing.

Honestly speaking, McLaren are making the correct decisions for themselves and it has paid off. They clinched their 10th constructors’ title in Singapore (though a great achievement diminished by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and with Stella as team principal they have an ethical and upright commander who truly aims to act correctly.

Sporting integrity versus team management

However, with racers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall to decide matters appears unsightly. Their competition should be decided on track. Luck and destiny will have roles, but better to let them just battle freely and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that each contentious incident will be pored over by the squad to ascertain whether they need to intervene and then cleared up later in private.

The scrutiny will intensify with every occurrence it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes that could be critical. Previously, after the team made for position swaps in Italy because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri believing he had been hard done by with the strategy call in Budapest, where Norris triumphed, the shadow of concern about bias also emerges.

Squad viewpoint and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to see a title endlessly debated over perceived that fairness attempts were unequal. When asked if he believed the squad had acted correctly by both drivers, Piastri said that they did, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“There’s been some difficult situations and we discussed a number of things,” he stated after Singapore. “But ultimately it’s a learning process with the whole team.”

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