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The British racing team and Formula One would benefit from any conclusive outcome during this title fight between Lando Norris & Oscar Piastri being decided through on-track action rather than without reference to team orders with the championship finale begins at the Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout leads to team tensions

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and tense post-race analyses concluded, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a reset. The British driver was almost certainly fully conscious about the historical parallels of his riposte toward his upset colleague at the last grand prix weekend. During an intense title fight against Piastri, that Norris invoked a famous Senna most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed yet the occurrence which triggered his statement differed completely to those that defined the Brazilian’s great rivalries.

“Should you criticize me for simply attempting on the inside of a big gap then you don't belong in F1,” Norris said of his opening-lap attempt to overtake that led to the cars colliding.

The remark appeared to paraphrase the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go an available gap that exists you are no longer a racing driver” justification he provided to the racing knight following his collision with the French champion at Suzuka back in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

While the spirit remains comparable, the wording marks where parallels stop. Senna later admitted he had no intent of letting Prost beat him at turn one while Norris did try to make his pass cleanly at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised even with the glancing blow he made against his team colleague during the pass. This incident was a result of him touching the Red Bull driven by Verstappen ahead of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, significantly, immediately declared that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; suggesting that their collision was verboten by team protocols of engagement and Norris should be instructed to give back the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that during disputes of contention, both will promptly appeal to the team to intervene in their favor.

Squad management and impartiality being examined

This is part and parcel of McLaren’s laudable efforts to allow their racers compete against each other and to try to maintain strict fairness. Quite apart from tying some torturous knots in setting precedents about what defines just or unjust – which, under these auspices, now covers misfortune, tactical calls and on-track occurrences like in Marina Bay – there is the question regarding opinions.

Of most import for the championship, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, each racer's view exists as fair and when their perspectives might split with that of the McLaren pitwall. Which is when the amicable relationship among them could eventually – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It will reach a point where a few points will matter,” commented Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff post-race. “Then they’ll start to calculate and re-calculations and I suppose aggression will increase a bit more. That’s when it starts to become thrilling.”

Audience expectations and championship implications

For spectators, during this dual battle, getting interesting will probably be welcomed as a track duel rather than a spreadsheet-based arbitration regarding incidents. Not least because 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 in Singapore (albeit a brilliant success overshadowed by the controversy from their drivers' clash) and with Stella as team principal they possess a moral and upright commander who genuinely wants to act correctly.

Racing purity against squad control

However, with racers competing for the title appealing to the team for resolutions is unedifying. Their contest ought to be determined through racing. Chance and fate will have roles, but better to let 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 ascertain whether intervention is needed and then cleared up later in private.

The scrutiny will intensify with every occurrence it risks potentially making a difference which might prove decisive. Previously, following the team's decision for position swaps in Italy due to Norris experiencing a slow pit stop and Piastri believing he was treated unfairly with the strategy call at Hungary, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear about bias also looms.

Team perspective and future challenges

Nobody desires to see a title constantly disputed over perceived that fairness attempts were unequal. Questioned whether he believed the squad had acted correctly by both drivers, Piastri responded he believed they had, but mentioned that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“There’s been some difficult situations and we’ve spoken about various aspects,” he stated post-race. “However finally it's educational for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. McLaren have little room for error for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser to just close the books and step back from the fray.