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The British racing team and F1 would benefit from any conclusive outcome in the title fight between Lando Norris & Piastri being decided on the track rather than without resorting to team orders with the title run-in kicks off this weekend at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix fallout prompts internal strain

After the Marina Bay event’s undoubtedly thorough and stressful post-race analyses concluded, McLaren will be hoping for a fresh start. The British driver was likely fully conscious of the historical context of his riposte toward his upset colleague at the last race weekend. During an intense title fight against Piastri, his reference to one of Ayrton Senna’s most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed but the incident that provoked his comment differed completely to those that defined Senna's iconic battles.

“Should you criticize me for just going on the inside through an opening then you don't belong in F1,” stated Norris regarding his first-lap move to pass that led to their vehicles making contact.

His comment seemed to echo Senna’s “If you no longer go an available gap that exists then you cease to be a true racer” defence he gave to the racing knight after he ploughed into 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. The late champion confessed he never intended to allow Prost beat him at turn one while Norris did try to execute a clean overtake in Singapore. In fact, it was a perfectly valid effort which received no penalty even with the glancing blow he made against his team colleague during the pass. This incident stemmed from him clipping the car of Max Verstappen ahead of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, significantly, instantly stated that Norris's position gain was “unfair”; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was verboten under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris ought to be told to return the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, yet it demonstrated that in any cases of contention, each would quickly ask the squad to step in in their favor.

Team dynamics and fairness being examined

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. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas when establishing rules over what constitutes fair or unfair – which, under these auspices, now includes misfortune, strategy and on-track occurrences like in Marina Bay – there remains the issue of perception.

Of most import for the championship, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, each racer's view exists on fairness and when their opinion may diverge from the team's stance. Which is when the amicable relationship between the two could eventually – become a little bit more Senna-Prost.

“It will reach a point where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff post-race. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I guess aggression will increase a bit more. That’s when it starts to get interesting.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For the audience, during this dual battle, getting interesting will likely be appreciated in the form of an on-track confrontation rather than a spreadsheet-based arbitration regarding incidents. Especially since in Formula One the other impression from all this is not particularly rousing.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking appropriate choices for their interests 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 in Andrea Stella as squad leader they possess a moral and upright commander who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Racing purity against team management

Yet having drivers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall to decide matters appears unsightly. Their contest ought to be determined on track. Chance and fate will play their part, but better to let them simply go at it and observe outcomes naturally, rather than the sense that each contentious incident will be pored over by the team to determine if they need to intervene and then cleared up later in private.

The scrutiny will increase and each time it happens it is in danger of potentially making a difference which might prove decisive. Previously, after the team made their drivers swap places in Italy because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri believing he was treated unfairly regarding tactics in Budapest, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear about bias also emerges.

Team perspective and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to see a title endlessly debated over perceived that the efforts to be fair were unequal. Questioned whether he believed the squad had managed to do right toward both racers, Piastri said he believed they had, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“There’s been some difficult situations 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 wriggle room left to do their cramming, so it may be better to just close the books and withdraw from the conflict.