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McLaren along with Formula One would benefit from anything decisive in the title fight between Norris & Oscar Piastri being decided on the track rather than without resorting to team orders with the title run-in kicks off this weekend at COTA on Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout leads to internal strain

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s undoubtedly thorough and stressful debriefs concluded, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a reset. The British driver was likely more than aware about the historical parallels of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate at the last race weekend. In a fiercely contested championship duel against Piastri, that Norris invoked one of Ayrton Senna’s well-known quotes did not go unnoticed yet the occurrence which triggered his statement differed completely from incidents characterizing the Brazilian’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,” stated Norris of his opening-lap attempt to pass that led to the cars colliding.

The remark seemed to echo the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go for a gap which is there you are no longer a true racer” defence he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart after he ploughed into the French champion at Suzuka back in 1990, securing him the title.

Parallel mindset but different circumstances

Although the attitude is similar, the phrasing is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he never intended to allow Prost to defeat him at turn one whereas Norris did try to make his pass cleanly in Singapore. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort which received no penalty despite the minor contact he had with his McLaren teammate as he went through. This incident was a result of him clipping the car driven by Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, immediately declared that Norris gaining the place was “unfair”; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was verboten under McLaren’s rules of engagement and Norris should be instructed to return the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, yet it demonstrated that in any cases between them, each would quickly ask the squad to intervene on his behalf.

Team dynamics and fairness being examined

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete one another and to try to be as scrupulously fair. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents over what constitutes fair or unfair – under these conditions, now includes misfortune, tactical calls and on-track occurrences such as in Singapore – there remains the issue of perception.

Most crucially for the championship, with six meetings remaining, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, there is what each driver perceives as fair and at what point their perspectives might split from the team's stance. That is when the amicable relationship between the two may – finally – become a little bit more the iconic rivalry.

“It will reach a point where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes team principal Toto 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 starts to become thrilling.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For the audience, in what is a two-horse race, getting interesting will probably be welcomed as a track duel rather than a data-driven decision regarding incidents. Not least because in Formula One the other impression from these events is not particularly rousing.

To be fair, McLaren is taking appropriate choices for themselves and it has paid off. They clinched their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success diminished by the fuss prompted by the Norris-Piastri moment) and with Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and principled leader who truly aims to act correctly.

Racing purity against team management

However, with racers competing for the title appealing to the team for resolutions appears unsightly. Their contest ought to be determined through racing. Luck and destiny will play their part, but better to let them simply go at it and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that every disputed moment will be pored over by the squad to ascertain whether intervention is needed and then cleared up later in private.

The scrutiny will intensify and each time it happens it risks potentially making a difference that could be critical. Already, after the team made for position swaps in Italy due to Norris experiencing a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he was treated unfairly with the strategy call at Hungary, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also emerges.

Squad viewpoint and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to see a title constantly disputed because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair were unequal. When asked if he felt the team had acted correctly toward both racers, Piastri responded that they did, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“We've had several difficult situations and we discussed a number of things,” he said after Singapore. “But ultimately it’s a learning process for the entire squad.”

Six meetings remain. McLaren have little wriggle room left for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser now to simply stop analyzing and withdraw from the conflict.