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McLaren and Formula One could do with any conclusive outcome in the championship battle involving Norris & Oscar Piastri being decided through on-track action and without resorting to the pit wall with the championship finale kicks off at the COTA starting Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout leads to team tensions

With the Singapore Grand Prix’s undoubtedly thorough and tense post-race analyses concluded, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a reset. Norris was almost certainly fully conscious of the historical context of his riposte toward his upset colleague during the previous race weekend. During an intense title fight with the Australian, that Norris invoked one of Ayrton Senna’s most famous sentiments was lost on no one yet the occurrence that provoked his comment differed completely to those that defined Senna's iconic battles.

“Should you criticize me for simply attempting on the inside through an opening then you don't belong in F1,” stated Norris of his opening-lap attempt to pass that led to their vehicles making contact.

The remark appeared to paraphrase Senna’s “If you no longer go for a gap which is there then you cease to be a racing driver” justification he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with the French champion in Japan back in 1990, ensuring he took the championship.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

Although the attitude is similar, the wording marks where parallels stop. The late champion confessed he never intended to allow Prost beat him through the first corner whereas Norris did try to make his pass cleanly in Singapore. In fact, it was a perfectly valid effort which received no penalty despite the minor contact he made against his team colleague during the pass. This incident stemmed from him touching the Red Bull driven by Verstappen in front of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, immediately declared that Norris's position gain was “unfair”; suggesting that their collision was forbidden by team protocols for racing and Norris ought to be told to give back the place he had made. The team refused, but it was indicative that in any cases between them, each would quickly ask to the team to step in in their favor.

Squad management and impartiality being examined

This comes naturally of McLaren’s laudable efforts to allow their racers compete against each other and to try to be as scrupulously fair. Aside from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents over what constitutes just or unjust – which, under these auspices, now includes bad luck, strategy and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there remains the issue regarding opinions.

Of most import for the championship, with six meetings remaining, Piastri is ahead of Norris by twenty-two points, there is what each driver perceives on fairness and at what point their perspectives might split from the team's stance. Which is when their friendly rapport among them could eventually – become a little bit more the iconic rivalry.

“It will reach a point where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff post-race. “Then they’ll start to calculate and back-calculate and I guess aggression will increase further. That’s when it starts to become thrilling.”

Viewer desires and championship implications

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

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for themselves and it has paid off. They clinched their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (though a great achievement diminished by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and with Stella as squad leader they possess a moral and principled leader who truly aims to act correctly.

Sporting integrity versus squad control

Yet having drivers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall to decide matters appears unsightly. Their contest ought to be determined through racing. Luck and destiny will play their part, yet preferable to allow them simply go at it and see how fortune falls, than the impression that each contentious incident will be pored over by the team to determine if intervention is needed and subsequently resolved afterwards behind closed doors.

The scrutiny will intensify and each time it happens it risks potentially making a difference that could be critical. Previously, after the team made their drivers swap places at Monza because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri believing he had been hard done by regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris triumphed, the spectre of a fear about bias also looms.

Team perspective and future challenges

No one wants to witness a championship endlessly debated because it may be considered that fairness attempts had not been balanced. Questioned whether he felt the team had acted correctly by both drivers, Piastri responded that they did, but noted that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“We've had several challenging moments and we discussed various aspects,” he said post-race. “However finally it's educational with the whole team.”

Six races stay. The team has minimal room for error to do their cramming, so it may be better to just close the books and withdraw from the fray.