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McLaren and F1 would benefit from any conclusive outcome in the title fight between Lando Norris and Piastri being decided on the track and without resorting to the pit wall as the title run-in begins at the Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout leads to team tensions

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s undoubtedly thorough and tense post-race analyses dealt with, McLaren will be hoping for a reset. Norris was likely more than aware of the historical context of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate during the previous grand prix weekend. In a fiercely contested championship duel 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 the Brazilian’s great rivalries.

“If you fault me for just going on the inside of a big gap then you should not be in F1,” Norris said regarding his first-lap move to pass that led to their vehicles making contact.

His comment appeared to paraphrase Senna’s “Should you stop attempting an available gap that exists you are no longer a true racer” defence he gave to the racing knight after he ploughed into Alain Prost at Suzuka in 1990, securing him the title.

Similar spirit yet distinct situations

While the spirit remains comparable, the wording is where the similarities end. Senna later admitted he never intended of letting Prost to defeat him at turn one while Norris did try to execute a clean overtake in Singapore. Indeed, his maneuver was legitimate that went unpenalised despite the minor contact he had with his team colleague as he went through. This incident stemmed from him touching the Red Bull driven by Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, notably, instantly stated that Norris's position gain was “unfair”; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was verboten by team protocols for racing and Norris ought to be told to return the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that during disputes between them, each would quickly ask to the team to step in on his behalf.

Squad management and impartiality under scrutiny

This comes naturally of McLaren’s laudable efforts to allow their racers compete one another and to try to maintain strict fairness. Aside from tying some torturous knots when establishing rules about what defines just or unjust – which, under these auspices, now includes bad luck, tactical calls and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there is the question of perception.

Of most import to the title race, six races left, Piastri is ahead of Norris by twenty-two points, each racer's view exists on fairness and at what point their perspectives might split from the team's stance. That is when their friendly rapport between the two may – finally – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It will reach to a situation where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I guess aggression will increase further. That's when it begins to become thrilling.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For the audience, during this dual battle, getting interesting will probably be welcomed in the form of an on-track confrontation rather than a data-driven decision regarding incidents. Not least because in Formula One the other impression from these events is not particularly rousing.

Honestly speaking, McLaren are making appropriate choices for themselves and it has paid off. They clinched their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (though a great achievement overshadowed by the controversy from the Norris-Piastri moment) and with Stella as team principal they possess a moral and upright commander who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Sporting integrity against squad control

However, with racers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall to decide matters appears unsightly. Their competition should be decided through racing. 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 analyzed intensely by the team to determine if they need to intervene and subsequently resolved afterwards behind closed doors.

The examination will increase and each time it happens it risks potentially making a difference which might prove decisive. Already, after the team made their drivers swap places at Monza due to Norris experiencing a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris triumphed, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also emerges.

Team perspective and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to see a title constantly disputed over perceived that fairness attempts had not been balanced. Questioned whether he felt the team had acted correctly by both drivers, Piastri said he believed they had, but noted that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“There’s been some challenging moments and we’ve spoken about a number of things,” he said after Singapore. “However finally it's educational with the whole team.”

Six races stay. McLaren have little room for error for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser now to simply close the books and step back from the conflict.