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The British racing team along with Formula One would benefit from anything decisive during this title fight involving Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri being decided through on-track action and without reference to the pit wall as the championship finale kicks off at the Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout prompts team tensions

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s undoubtedly thorough and stressful debriefs concluded, McLaren will be hoping for a fresh start. The British driver was likely more than aware about the historical parallels of his riposte toward his upset colleague at the last grand prix weekend. During an intense championship duel with the Australian, that Norris invoked a famous Senna most famous sentiments was lost on no one yet the occurrence that provoked his comment differed completely to those that defined Senna's great rivalries.

“Should you criticize me for just going an inside move through an opening then you should not be in Formula One,” 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 true racer” defence he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with the French champion at Suzuka in 1990, securing him the championship.

Parallel mindset but different circumstances

While the spirit is similar, the phrasing marks where parallels stop. Senna later admitted he never intended to allow Prost beat him through the first corner while Norris attempted to execute a clean overtake in Singapore. Indeed, his maneuver was legitimate which received no penalty even with the glancing blow he had with his McLaren teammate during the pass. That itself stemmed from him clipping the Red Bull of Max Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, significantly, instantly stated that Norris gaining the place was “unfair”; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was verboten under McLaren’s rules of engagement and Norris ought to be told to give back the place he had made. McLaren did not do so, yet it demonstrated that during disputes of contention, each would quickly ask the squad to step in in their favor.

Squad management and fairness under scrutiny

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race against each other and strive to be as scrupulously fair. Aside from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents about what defines just or unjust – under these conditions, now includes misfortune, tactical calls and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there is the question of perception.

Of most import for the championship, six races left, Piastri is ahead of Norris by twenty-two points, each racer's view exists on fairness and when their opinion may diverge with that of the McLaren pitwall. That is when the amicable relationship among them may – finally – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It’s going to come to a situation where minor points count,” said Mercedes team principal Wolff post-race. “Then calculations will begin and re-calculations and I guess aggression will increase a bit more. That’s when it starts to get interesting.”

Audience expectations and championship implications

For the audience, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will likely be appreciated as an on-track confrontation instead of a spreadsheet-based arbitration regarding incidents. Especially since for F1 the other impression from these events isn't very inspiring.

To be fair, McLaren is taking appropriate choices 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 looking to the pitwall for resolutions is unedifying. Their contest ought to be determined through racing. Chance and fate will play their part, but better to let them simply go at it 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 then cleared up afterwards behind closed doors.

The scrutiny will increase with every occurrence it risks potentially making a difference that could be critical. Previously, after the team made for position swaps in Italy due to Norris experiencing a slow pit stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by with the strategy call at Hungary, where Norris won, the shadow of concern about bias also looms.

Squad viewpoint and upcoming tests

No one wants to witness a championship endlessly debated over perceived that the efforts to be fair 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 difficult situations and we discussed various aspects,” he stated after Singapore. “However finally it’s a learning process with the whole team.”

Six races stay. The team has minimal room for error to do their cramming, thus perhaps wiser to just close the books and step back from the fray.