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McLaren and F1 would benefit from anything decisive during this title fight involving Lando Norris and Piastri getting resolved on the track rather than without reference to team orders with the title run-in kicks off this weekend at COTA starting Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout leads to internal strain

With the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and tense debriefs concluded, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a reset. Norris was almost certainly more than aware about the historical parallels of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate at the last grand prix weekend. During an intense championship duel with the Australian, his reference to a famous Senna most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed yet the occurrence that provoked his comment was of an entirely different nature from incidents characterizing the Brazilian’s iconic battles.

“If you fault me for just going an inside move of a big gap then you don't belong in F1,” stated Norris regarding his first-lap move to pass which resulted in the cars colliding.

The remark seemed to echo the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go for a gap which is there then you cease to be a true racer” defence he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with Alain Prost at Suzuka in 1990, securing him the title.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

While the spirit remains comparable, the wording is where the similarities end. Senna later admitted he never intended to allow Prost to defeat him through the first corner whereas Norris attempted to make his pass cleanly in Singapore. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort which received no penalty even with the glancing blow he had with his team colleague as he went through. That itself stemmed from him clipping the car of Max Verstappen in front of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, instantly stated that Norris's position gain was “unfair”; suggesting that their collision was verboten under McLaren’s rules of engagement and Norris should be instructed to give back the place he had made. The team refused, but it was indicative that in any cases of contention, each would quickly ask the squad to intervene on his behalf.

Squad management and fairness being examined

This is part and parcel of McLaren’s laudable efforts to allow their racers compete one another and strive to be as scrupulously fair. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents about what defines fair or unfair – under these conditions, now includes misfortune, strategy and racing incidents like in Marina Bay – there remains the issue regarding opinions.

Most crucially for the championship, with six meetings remaining, Piastri is ahead of Norris by twenty-two points, each racer's view exists as fair and at what point their opinion may diverge with that of the McLaren pitwall. Which is when their friendly rapport between the two could eventually – become a little bit more the iconic rivalry.

“It’s going to come a point where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes team principal Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and re-calculations and I guess the elbows are going to come out further. That's when it begins to get interesting.”

Viewer desires and championship implications

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will probably be welcomed as an on-track confrontation instead of a data-driven decision of circumstances. Not least because in Formula One the alternative perception from these events isn't very inspiring.

To be fair, McLaren are making appropriate choices for themselves with successful results. They secured their tenth team championship at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success diminished by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and in Andrea Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and principled leader who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Sporting integrity versus team management

However, with racers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall to decide matters is unedifying. Their contest should be decided on track. Luck and destiny will have roles, yet preferable to allow them simply go at it and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that every disputed moment will be analyzed intensely 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 which might prove decisive. Already, after the team made their drivers swap places at Monza due to Norris experiencing a slow pit stop and Piastri believing he was treated unfairly regarding tactics in Budapest, where Norris won, the shadow of concern of favouritism also emerges.

Team perspective and upcoming tests

No one wants to witness a championship constantly disputed because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair were unequal. When asked if he believed the squad had managed to do right by both drivers, Piastri said that they did, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“There’s been some challenging moments and we discussed a number of things,” he said post-race. “However finally it's educational for the entire squad.”

Six meetings remain. McLaren have little room for error to do their cramming, thus perhaps wiser now to simply close the books and step back from the fray.