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McLaren along with F1 could do with any conclusive outcome during this championship battle between Norris & Oscar Piastri being decided through on-track action rather than without reference to the pit wall as the championship finale kicks off at the COTA on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix aftermath leads to team tensions

With the Marina Bay event’s undoubtedly thorough and tense debriefs dealt with, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a fresh start. The British driver was almost certainly more than aware of the historical context regarding his retort to his aggrieved teammate at the last grand prix weekend. During an intense championship duel against Piastri, that Norris invoked a famous Senna most famous sentiments was lost on no one yet the occurrence which triggered his statement was of an entirely different nature from incidents characterizing Senna's iconic battles.

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

The remark appeared to paraphrase Senna’s “Should you stop attempting for a gap which is there then you cease to be a true racer” justification he gave to the racing knight after he ploughed into the French champion in Japan in 1990, securing him the championship.

Parallel mindset but different circumstances

Although the attitude is similar, the wording is where the similarities end. Senna later admitted he had no intent to allow Prost to defeat him at turn one while 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 team colleague during the pass. That itself was a result of him touching the Red Bull of Max Verstappen in front of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, immediately declared that Norris's position gain was “unfair”; the implication being their collision was verboten under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris ought to be told to return the place he had made. The team refused, but it was indicative that in any cases between them, both will promptly appeal the squad to step in in their favor.

Squad management and impartiality being examined

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race against each other and to try 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 bad luck, tactical calls and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there remains the issue of perception.

Of most import to the title race, with six meetings remaining, Piastri leads Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists as fair and when their perspectives might split from the team's stance. That is when their friendly rapport among them may – finally – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It’s going to come a point where minor points count,” commented Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff post-race. “Then they’ll start to calculate and back-calculate and I suppose the elbows are going to come out further. That’s when it starts to get interesting.”

Audience expectations and title consequences

For spectators, during this dual battle, getting interesting will probably be welcomed in the form of a track duel rather than a data-driven decision regarding incidents. Especially since for F1 the alternative perception from all this is not particularly rousing.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for their interests with successful results. They secured their 10th constructors’ title in Singapore (albeit a brilliant success overshadowed 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 against squad control

Yet having drivers competing for the title appealing to the team to decide matters appears unsightly. Their competition ought to be determined on track. Chance and fate will have roles, but better to let them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, than the impression that each contentious incident will be analyzed intensely by the squad to determine if they need to intervene and then cleared up afterwards behind closed doors.

The scrutiny will intensify with every occurrence it is in danger of potentially making a difference that could be critical. Previously, following the team's decision their drivers swap places in Italy because Norris had endured a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by with the strategy call in Budapest, where Norris triumphed, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also emerges.

Squad viewpoint and future challenges

Nobody desires to witness a championship constantly disputed over perceived that fairness attempts were unequal. When asked if he believed the squad had managed to do right by both drivers, Piastri responded that they did, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“There’s been some challenging moments and we discussed a number of things,” he stated after Singapore. “But ultimately it's educational for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. McLaren have little room for error for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser to just stop analyzing and step back from the fray.