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McLaren along with Formula One could do with any conclusive outcome in the championship battle between Lando Norris & Oscar Piastri being decided on the track and without resorting to team orders with the title run-in begins this weekend at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix fallout prompts internal strain

After the Marina Bay event’s undoubtedly thorough and stressful debriefs concluded, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a fresh start. The British driver was almost certainly more than aware about the historical parallels regarding his retort toward his upset colleague during the previous grand prix weekend. During an intense championship duel against Piastri, his reference to one of Ayrton Senna’s most famous sentiments was lost on no one but the incident that provoked his comment differed completely to those that defined Senna's great rivalries.

“Should you criticize me for simply attempting an inside move of a big gap then you should not be in Formula One,” Norris said regarding his first-lap move to overtake that led to their vehicles making contact.

His comment seemed to echo the Brazilian legend's “Should you stop attempting for a gap that exists you are no longer a true racer” justification he provided to the racing knight following his collision with Alain Prost at Suzuka back in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Similar spirit but different circumstances

Although the attitude remains comparable, the phrasing marks where parallels stop. Senna later admitted he never intended of letting Prost beat him through the first corner whereas Norris did try to execute a clean overtake at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised even with the glancing blow he had with his team colleague as he went through. That itself stemmed from him touching the Red Bull driven by Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, instantly stated that Norris gaining the place was “unfair”; suggesting that their collision was verboten by team protocols for racing and Norris ought to be told to return the place he had made. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that in any cases of contention, each would quickly ask to the team to step in in their favor.

Squad management and fairness being examined

This comes naturally 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 in setting precedents about what defines just or unjust – which, under these auspices, now includes bad luck, tactical calls and on-track occurrences like in Marina Bay – there remains the issue of perception.

Of most import for the championship, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, there is what each driver perceives as fair and when their perspectives might split from the team's stance. Which is when their friendly rapport between the two may – finally – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It will reach a point where a few points will matter,” commented Mercedes boss Toto Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I guess aggression will increase a bit more. That's when it begins to become thrilling.”

Audience expectations and title consequences

For spectators, during this dual battle, getting interesting will likely be appreciated as a track duel rather than a spreadsheet-based arbitration 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 their interests with successful results. They secured their tenth team championship in Singapore (though a great achievement overshadowed by the controversy from the Norris-Piastri moment) and with Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and principled leader who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Racing purity versus squad control

Yet having drivers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall to decide matters is unedifying. Their contest should be decided on track. Chance and fate will have roles, but better to let them simply go at it and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that each contentious incident will be analyzed intensely by the squad to ascertain whether intervention is needed and subsequently resolved afterwards behind closed doors.

The scrutiny will intensify with every occurrence it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Previously, following the team's decision for position swaps at Monza 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 won, the shadow of concern of favouritism also emerges.

Team perspective and future challenges

Nobody desires to witness a championship endlessly debated over perceived that the efforts to be fair were unequal. When asked if he believed the squad had acted correctly toward both racers, Piastri said he believed they had, but noted it's a developing process.

“We've had several difficult situations and we’ve spoken about a number of things,” he said after Singapore. “However finally it’s a learning process with the whole team.”

Six races stay. McLaren have little wriggle room left to do their cramming, so it may be better to just close the books and step back from the fray.