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McLaren along with F1 could do with any conclusive outcome in the championship battle involving Lando Norris and Piastri getting resolved through on-track action rather than without reference to team orders with the title run-in begins this weekend at COTA on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix fallout prompts team tensions

With the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and stressful debriefs concluded, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a reset. The British driver was almost certainly more than aware about the historical parallels of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate at the last grand prix weekend. In a fiercely contested title fight with the Australian, that Norris invoked one of Ayrton Senna’s most famous sentiments was lost on no one yet the occurrence which triggered his statement was of an entirely different nature from incidents characterizing the Brazilian’s great rivalries.

“If you fault me for just going on the inside through an opening then you should not be in Formula One,” stated Norris of his opening-lap attempt to pass which resulted in their vehicles making contact.

His comment appeared to paraphrase the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go for a gap that exists then you cease to be a true racer” justification he gave to the racing knight 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 wording is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he never intended to allow Prost to defeat him through the first corner whereas Norris did try to execute a clean overtake at the Marina Bay circuit. In fact, his maneuver was legitimate that went unpenalised even with the glancing blow he had with his team colleague during the pass. That itself was a result of him clipping the car driven by Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, notably, instantly stated that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; suggesting that their collision was verboten under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris should be instructed to return the place he had made. McLaren did not do so, yet it demonstrated that during disputes between them, both will promptly appeal the squad to intervene on his behalf.

Squad management and impartiality being examined

This comes naturally from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete one another and to try to maintain strict fairness. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas when establishing rules about what defines fair or unfair – which, under these auspices, now includes misfortune, strategy and on-track occurrences such as in Singapore – there remains the issue regarding opinions.

Of most import to the title race, six races left, Piastri is ahead of Norris by twenty-two points, each racer's view exists on fairness and when their perspectives might split with that of the McLaren pitwall. That is when their friendly rapport among them may – finally – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It will reach a point where minor points count,” said Mercedes team principal Wolff post-race. “Then they’ll start to calculate and back-calculate and I suppose aggression will increase a bit more. That’s when it starts to become thrilling.”

Audience expectations and championship implications

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will probably be welcomed in the form of a track duel instead of a spreadsheet-based arbitration of circumstances. Especially since for F1 the other impression from all this isn't very inspiring.

To be fair, McLaren is taking appropriate choices for themselves and it has paid off. They clinched their tenth team championship at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success overshadowed by the controversy from their drivers' clash) and with Stella as team principal they have an ethical and upright commander who truly aims to do the right thing.

Racing purity versus squad control

However, with racers competing for the title appealing to the team to decide matters appears unsightly. Their contest should be decided through racing. Chance and fate will play their part, yet preferable to allow them simply go at it and see how fortune falls, rather than the sense that every disputed moment will be analyzed intensely by the squad to ascertain whether intervention is needed and subsequently resolved afterwards behind closed doors.

The scrutiny will increase and each time it happens it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Previously, following the team's decision for position swaps in Italy because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri feeling he was treated unfairly with the strategy call at Hungary, where Norris triumphed, the shadow of concern of favouritism also looms.

Squad viewpoint and upcoming tests

No one wants to see a title constantly disputed because it may be considered that fairness attempts were unequal. Questioned whether he believed the squad had managed to do right by both drivers, Piastri said he believed they had, but noted it's a developing process.

“We've had several challenging moments and we’ve spoken about a number of things,” he stated post-race. “However finally it’s a learning process with the whole team.”

Six races stay. The team has minimal room for error for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser to just stop analyzing and step back from the fray.