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McLaren and F1 could do with anything decisive during this championship battle involving Lando Norris & Piastri being decided through on-track action and without reference to team orders as the title run-in begins this weekend at Circuit of the Americas starting Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix fallout leads to team tensions

With the Marina Bay event’s doubtless extensive and tense debriefs concluded, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a reset. Norris was likely more than aware of the historical context regarding his retort toward his upset colleague at the last grand prix weekend. During an intense title fight with the Australian, that Norris invoked a famous Senna most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed yet the occurrence that provoked his comment differed completely from incidents characterizing the Brazilian’s iconic battles.

“If you fault me for simply attempting on the inside of a big gap then you don't belong in Formula One,” Norris said of his opening-lap attempt to overtake which resulted in their vehicles making contact.

The remark seemed to echo the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go an available gap that exists you are no longer a true racer” defence he provided to the racing knight following his collision with the French champion in Japan back in 1990, ensuring he took the championship.

Parallel mindset but different circumstances

While the spirit is similar, the phrasing is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he never intended of letting Prost beat him through the first corner while Norris did try to make his pass cleanly at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, his maneuver was legitimate which received no penalty even with the glancing blow he had with his team colleague as he went through. That itself stemmed from him touching the Red Bull of Max Verstappen ahead of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, notably, immediately declared that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; suggesting that their collision was verboten by team protocols for racing and Norris ought to be told to give back the place he had made. The team refused, yet it demonstrated that during disputes of contention, both will promptly appeal to the team to step in in their favor.

Squad management and impartiality being examined

This comes naturally of McLaren’s laudable efforts to let their drivers race against each other and strive to maintain strict fairness. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas when establishing rules about what defines fair or unfair – which, under these auspices, now covers misfortune, strategy and on-track occurrences like in Marina Bay – there is the question of perception.

Most crucially to the title race, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists as fair and at what point their opinion may diverge from the team's stance. Which is when their friendly rapport among them could eventually – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It’s going to come to a situation where minor points count,” said Mercedes team principal Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I guess aggression will increase further. That's when it begins to get interesting.”

Audience expectations and championship implications

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will likely be appreciated as an on-track confrontation rather than a spreadsheet-based arbitration regarding incidents. Especially since in Formula One the alternative perception from all this is not particularly rousing.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking appropriate choices for themselves and it has paid off. They secured their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success diminished by the fuss prompted by the Norris-Piastri moment) and with 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 looking to the pitwall to decide matters appears unsightly. Their competition should be decided through racing. Chance and fate will have roles, but better to let them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, than the impression that every disputed moment will be pored over by the squad to determine if intervention is needed and then cleared up afterwards behind closed doors.

The examination will intensify and each time it happens it is in danger of potentially making a difference that could be critical. Already, after the team made their drivers swap places at Monza because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri believing he was treated unfairly regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris triumphed, the shadow of concern of favouritism also looms.

Squad viewpoint and future challenges

No one wants to see a title constantly disputed over perceived that fairness attempts had not been balanced. When asked if he believed the squad had managed to do right toward both racers, Piastri said that they did, but noted it's a developing process.

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

Six meetings remain. The team has minimal room for error for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser now to simply close the books and step back from the conflict.