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McLaren and F1 would benefit from any conclusive outcome in the title fight involving Lando Norris & Oscar Piastri being decided on the track and without reference to the pit wall with the title run-in kicks off at the COTA on Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout prompts team tensions

With the Marina Bay event’s doubtless extensive and tense debriefs dealt with, McLaren is aiming for a reset. Norris was likely more than aware of the historical context of his riposte toward his upset colleague during the previous grand prix weekend. In a fiercely contested title fight against Piastri, his reference to a famous Senna most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed but the incident that provoked his comment was of an entirely different nature from incidents characterizing the Brazilian’s great rivalries.

“Should you criticize me for just going an inside move through an opening then you should not be in Formula One,” stated Norris regarding his first-lap move to pass that led to their vehicles making contact.

The remark appeared to paraphrase the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go an available gap that exists then you cease to be a racing driver” defence he gave to the racing knight following his collision with the French champion at Suzuka in 1990, ensuring he took the championship.

Similar spirit but different circumstances

While the spirit is similar, the wording marks where parallels stop. The late champion confessed he had no intent of letting Prost beat him at turn one whereas Norris attempted to make his pass cleanly at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort which received no penalty despite the minor contact he had with his McLaren teammate during the pass. That itself was a result of him clipping the Red Bull driven by Verstappen in front of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, immediately declared that Norris gaining the place was “unfair”; suggesting that their collision was forbidden under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris ought to be told to return the place he had made. The team refused, yet it demonstrated that in any cases between them, both will promptly appeal to the team to intervene in their favor.

Team dynamics and impartiality under scrutiny

This comes naturally from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race one another and strive to maintain strict fairness. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas when establishing rules over what constitutes fair or unfair – under these conditions, now covers bad luck, tactical calls 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 twenty-two points, each racer's view exists on fairness and at what point their perspectives might split with that of the McLaren pitwall. That is when the amicable relationship among them could eventually – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It’s going to come to a situation where a few points will matter,” commented Mercedes boss Wolff post-race. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I suppose the elbows are going to come out a bit more. That's when it begins to get interesting.”

Audience expectations and title consequences

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will likely be appreciated in the form of an on-track confrontation rather than a data-driven decision of circumstances. Not least because for F1 the alternative perception from these events is not particularly rousing.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for their interests and it has paid off. They secured their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (though a great achievement diminished by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and in Andrea Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and upright commander who truly aims to do the right thing.

Sporting integrity versus squad control

However, with racers in a championship fight appealing to the team for resolutions is unedifying. Their competition should be decided through racing. Chance and fate will have roles, yet preferable to allow them simply go at it and see how fortune falls, rather than the sense that every disputed moment will be pored over by the team to determine if intervention is needed and then cleared up later in private.

The examination will increase and each time it happens it risks potentially making a difference that could be critical. Previously, after the team made for position swaps at Monza because Norris had endured a delayed stop and Piastri believing he was treated unfairly with the strategy call in Budapest, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also emerges.

Team perspective and future challenges

No one wants to witness a championship constantly disputed over perceived that the efforts to be fair had not been balanced. When asked if he felt the team had managed to do right toward both racers, Piastri responded he believed they had, but noted that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“There’s been some challenging moments and we’ve spoken about a number of things,” he said after Singapore. “But ultimately it’s a learning process with the whole team.”

Six meetings remain. The team has minimal wriggle room left for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser now to simply close the books and withdraw from the fray.