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The British racing team and F1 would benefit from any conclusive outcome in the championship battle between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri getting resolved on the track rather than without resorting to the pit wall with the championship finale begins at the Circuit of the Americas starting Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix aftermath leads to team tensions

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s undoubtedly thorough and stressful post-race analyses dealt with, McLaren is aiming for a fresh start. Norris was almost certainly more than aware of the historical context of his riposte toward his upset colleague during the previous grand prix weekend. In a fiercely contested championship duel against Piastri, that Norris invoked a famous Senna well-known quotes did not go unnoticed but the incident which triggered his statement differed completely to those that defined Senna's iconic battles.

“If you fault me for just going an inside move through an opening then you should not be in Formula One,” Norris said of his opening-lap attempt to overtake that led to the cars colliding.

The remark seemed to echo the Brazilian legend'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 back in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Similar spirit yet distinct situations

While the spirit remains comparable, the wording is where the similarities end. Senna later admitted he had no intent to allow Prost beat him at turn one while Norris attempted to execute a clean overtake in Singapore. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised even with the glancing blow he had with his team colleague as he went through. That itself stemmed from him clipping the Red Bull driven by Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, 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 should be instructed to return the position he gained. The team refused, yet it demonstrated that during disputes of contention, both will promptly appeal the squad to intervene in their favor.

Team dynamics and impartiality being examined

This comes naturally from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race against each other and strive to maintain strict fairness. Quite apart from tying some torturous knots when establishing rules over what constitutes just or unjust – which, under these auspices, now includes misfortune, strategy and racing incidents 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 22 points, each racer's view exists on fairness and at what point their opinion may diverge with that of the McLaren pitwall. That is when the amicable relationship among them could eventually – become a little bit more Senna-Prost.

“It will reach a point where minor points count,” commented Mercedes team principal Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I suppose the elbows are going to come out further. That’s when it starts to get interesting.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For the audience, in what is a two-horse race, getting interesting will probably be welcomed as a track duel instead of a data-driven decision of circumstances. Especially since for F1 the other impression from all this isn't very inspiring.

To be fair, McLaren are making appropriate choices for themselves and it has paid off. They clinched their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success diminished by the controversy from their drivers' clash) and with Stella as team principal they have an ethical and upright commander who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Sporting integrity versus squad control

Yet having drivers competing for the title appealing to the team for resolutions is unedifying. Their contest should be decided on track. Luck and destiny will play their part, yet preferable to allow them simply go at it and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that every disputed moment will be analyzed intensely by the squad to ascertain whether intervention is needed and then cleared up later in private.

The examination will increase and each time it happens it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Previously, after the team made for position swaps in Italy because Norris had endured a delayed stop and Piastri believing he was treated unfairly regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris triumphed, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also emerges.

Team perspective and upcoming tests

No one wants to see a title constantly disputed over perceived that the efforts to be fair were unequal. When asked if he felt the team had managed to do right by both drivers, Piastri responded he believed they had, but mentioned that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“We've had several challenging moments and we discussed a number of things,” he said after Singapore. “But ultimately it's educational for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. McLaren have little wriggle room left for last-minute adjustments, so it may be better to just close the books and step back from the fray.