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McLaren along with F1 would benefit from any conclusive outcome during this championship battle involving Norris & Oscar Piastri being decided on the track rather than without resorting to the pit wall with the championship finale begins this weekend at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix fallout leads to team tensions

With the Marina Bay event’s doubtless extensive and tense post-race analyses dealt with, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a reset. Norris was likely more than aware about the historical parallels regarding his retort to his aggrieved teammate during the previous race weekend. In a fiercely contested championship duel against Piastri, his reference to a famous Senna most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed but the incident which triggered his statement differed completely from incidents characterizing the Brazilian’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 the Brazilian legend's “Should you stop attempting for a gap which is there you are no longer a racing driver” defence he provided to the racing knight after he ploughed into the French champion at Suzuka back in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

Although the attitude is similar, the phrasing is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he had no intent of letting Prost beat him at turn one whereas Norris attempted to execute a clean overtake in Singapore. Indeed, his maneuver was legitimate which received no penalty despite the minor contact he made against his McLaren teammate during the pass. That itself stemmed from him touching the car driven by Verstappen ahead of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, notably, instantly stated that Norris's position gain was “unfair”; suggesting that their collision was forbidden by team protocols of engagement and Norris should be instructed to return the place he had made. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that during disputes of contention, each would quickly ask the squad to step in in their favor.

Squad management and fairness under scrutiny

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race one another and strive to be as scrupulously fair. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents about what defines fair or unfair – under these conditions, now includes misfortune, tactical calls and on-track occurrences such as in Singapore – there is the question of perception.

Of most import for the championship, with six meetings remaining, Piastri is ahead of Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists as fair and at what point their perspectives might split with that of the McLaren pitwall. Which is when the amicable relationship between the two may – finally – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

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

Audience expectations and title consequences

For the audience, in what is a two-horse race, getting interesting will likely be appreciated as a track duel instead of a spreadsheet-based arbitration of circumstances. Especially since for F1 the other impression from all this is not particularly rousing.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for their interests and it has paid off. They clinched their tenth team championship at Marina Bay (though a great achievement overshadowed by the controversy from the Norris-Piastri moment) and with Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and upright commander who genuinely wants to act correctly.

Racing purity versus team management

However, with racers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall to decide matters is unedifying. Their competition should be decided on track. Luck and destiny will play their part, yet preferable to allow them simply go at it and see how fortune falls, rather than the sense that each contentious incident will be analyzed intensely by the team to determine if intervention is needed and then cleared up later in private.

The scrutiny will intensify and each time it happens it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes that could be critical. Previously, after the team made their drivers swap places in Italy because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri believing he had been hard done by with the strategy call in Budapest, where Norris triumphed, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also looms.

Squad viewpoint and future challenges

Nobody desires to witness a championship endlessly debated because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair were unequal. When asked if he believed the squad had acted correctly toward both racers, Piastri responded he believed they had, but noted that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“We've had several difficult situations and we’ve spoken about a number of things,” he said post-race. “However finally it's educational with the whole team.”

Six meetings remain. McLaren have little wriggle room left to do their cramming, so it may be better to just close the books and withdraw from the fray.