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The British racing team along with Formula One could do with anything decisive in the title fight involving Norris and Piastri getting resolved through on-track action rather than without reference to the pit wall with the title run-in begins this weekend at COTA starting Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix aftermath leads to team tensions

With the Singapore Grand Prix’s undoubtedly thorough and stressful debriefs dealt with, McLaren is aiming for a reset. Norris was likely fully conscious of the historical context 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 was lost on no one but the incident which triggered his statement differed completely to those that defined the Brazilian’s great rivalries.

“Should you criticize me for simply attempting an inside move of a big gap then you don't belong in F1,” Norris said of his opening-lap attempt to overtake that led to their vehicles making contact.

The remark seemed to echo Senna’s “If you no longer go for a gap which is there you are no longer a true racer” defence he gave to the racing knight following his collision with Alain Prost in Japan in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Similar spirit but different circumstances

Although the attitude is similar, the wording marks where parallels stop. The late champion confessed he had no intent of letting Prost beat him at turn one while 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 had with his team colleague during the pass. This incident stemmed from him clipping the Red Bull of Max Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, immediately declared that Norris's position gain was “unfair”; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was forbidden under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris ought to be told to return the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that in any cases between them, both will promptly appeal the squad to step in on his behalf.

Team dynamics and impartiality being examined

This is part and parcel of McLaren’s laudable efforts to let their drivers race one another 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 covers 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 leads Norris by 22 points, there is what each driver perceives as fair and when their perspectives might split from the team's stance. That is when their friendly rapport among them could eventually – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It will reach to a situation where minor points count,” commented Mercedes boss Wolff post-race. “Then they’ll start to calculate and re-calculations and I guess 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, getting interesting will probably be welcomed as an on-track confrontation instead of a data-driven decision of circumstances. Especially since in Formula One the other impression from these events is not particularly rousing.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking appropriate choices for their interests and it has paid off. They clinched their tenth team championship in Singapore (albeit a brilliant success diminished 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 squad control

Yet having drivers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall for resolutions appears unsightly. Their competition ought to be determined on track. Chance and fate will have roles, but better to let 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 they need to intervene and then cleared up afterwards behind closed doors.

The scrutiny will intensify with every occurrence it risks potentially making a difference 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 regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris triumphed, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also looms.

Team perspective and future challenges

Nobody desires to witness a championship constantly disputed because it may be considered that fairness attempts were unequal. When asked if he believed the squad had managed to do right by both drivers, Piastri responded he believed they had, but noted that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“We've had several challenging moments and we discussed a number of things,” he said post-race. “But ultimately it's educational with the whole team.”

Six meetings remain. The team has minimal room for error to do their cramming, thus perhaps wiser now to simply close the books and step back from the conflict.