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The British racing team along with Formula One could do with any conclusive outcome during this championship battle between Norris & Oscar Piastri getting resolved on the track and without resorting to team orders as the championship finale begins at the COTA starting Friday.

Marina Bay race aftermath prompts internal strain

With the Singapore Grand Prix’s undoubtedly thorough and stressful debriefs concluded, McLaren will be hoping for a fresh start. The British driver was almost certainly fully conscious about the historical parallels of his riposte toward his upset colleague during the previous grand prix weekend. In a fiercely contested title fight against Piastri, that Norris invoked one of Ayrton Senna’s most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed yet the occurrence that provoked his comment differed completely to those that defined the Brazilian’s great rivalries.

“Should you criticize me for just going an inside move of a big gap then you don't belong in Formula One,” stated Norris regarding his first-lap move to pass which resulted in their vehicles making contact.

The remark appeared to paraphrase Senna’s “Should you stop attempting an available gap which is there you are no longer a true racer” justification he provided to the racing knight following his collision with the French champion at Suzuka in 1990, securing him the title.

Parallel mindset but different circumstances

Although the attitude 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 attempted to execute a clean overtake in Singapore. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised despite the minor contact he had with his team colleague during the pass. This incident was a result of him clipping the car of Max Verstappen ahead of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, notably, instantly stated that Norris gaining the place seemed unjust; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was verboten by team protocols for racing and Norris ought to be told to give back the place he had made. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that in any cases between them, both will promptly appeal the squad to step in on his behalf.

Squad management and fairness being examined

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete against each other and to try to maintain strict fairness. Aside from tying some torturous knots in setting precedents about what defines just or unjust – which, under these auspices, now includes bad luck, strategy and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there remains the issue of perception.

Most crucially to the title race, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists on fairness and when their perspectives might split from the team's stance. Which is when their friendly rapport among them could eventually – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It will reach a point where minor points count,” commented Mercedes boss 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 become thrilling.”

Viewer desires and championship implications

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will likely be appreciated in the form of a track duel instead of a data-driven decision of circumstances. Not least because for F1 the other impression from these events is not particularly rousing.

To be fair, McLaren are making appropriate choices for their interests and it has paid off. They secured their tenth team championship in Singapore (though a great achievement overshadowed by the controversy from the Norris-Piastri moment) and with Stella as squad leader they possess a moral and principled leader who genuinely wants to act correctly.

Racing purity against squad control

Yet having drivers competing for the title appealing to the team for resolutions appears unsightly. Their competition should be decided on track. Luck and destiny will have roles, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, than the impression that each contentious incident will be analyzed intensely by the team 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 potentially making a difference which might prove decisive. Already, after the team made for position swaps at Monza because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by with the strategy call in Budapest, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear about bias also looms.

Squad viewpoint and future challenges

Nobody desires to witness a championship endlessly debated over perceived that the efforts to be fair had not been balanced. Questioned whether he believed the squad had acted correctly toward both racers, Piastri said he believed they had, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“We've had several difficult situations and we discussed a number of things,” he stated after Singapore. “However finally it's educational for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. McLaren have little room for error to do their cramming, thus perhaps wiser to just stop analyzing and withdraw from the conflict.