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McLaren along with F1 would benefit from any conclusive outcome during this championship battle involving Norris & Oscar Piastri getting resolved through on-track action and without resorting to the pit wall as the title run-in begins this weekend at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix fallout leads to team tensions

With the Marina Bay event’s undoubtedly thorough and tense post-race analyses dealt with, McLaren will be hoping for a reset. The British driver was likely more than aware of the historical context of his riposte toward his upset colleague during the previous race 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 was of an entirely different nature to those that defined 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 regarding his first-lap move to pass that led to the cars colliding.

His comment seemed to echo Senna’s “If you no longer go for a gap which is there then you cease to be a true racer” defence he gave to the racing knight after he ploughed into the French champion at Suzuka in 1990, ensuring he took the championship.

Similar spirit but different circumstances

While the spirit remains comparable, the phrasing is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he had no intent of letting Prost beat him through the first corner while Norris attempted to execute a clean overtake in Singapore. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort which received no penalty despite the minor contact he made against his team colleague as he went through. This incident stemmed from him touching the car driven by Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, immediately declared that Norris's position gain was “unfair”; suggesting that their collision was forbidden by team protocols of engagement and Norris ought to be told 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.

Squad management and impartiality under scrutiny

This comes naturally of McLaren’s laudable efforts to let their drivers race against each other and to try to maintain strict fairness. Aside from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents about what defines just or unjust – which, under these auspices, now includes misfortune, strategy and racing incidents like in Marina Bay – there is the question regarding opinions.

Most crucially for the championship, six races left, Piastri is ahead of Norris by 22 points, there is what each driver perceives as fair and at what point their perspectives might split from the team's stance. Which is when their friendly rapport between the two could eventually – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It’s going to come to a situation where minor points count,” 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 starts to get interesting.”

Audience expectations and title consequences

For spectators, during this dual battle, getting interesting will likely be appreciated as an on-track confrontation rather than a spreadsheet-based arbitration regarding incidents. Especially since in Formula One the other impression from these events is not particularly rousing.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for themselves and it has paid off. They secured their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (though a great achievement diminished by the fuss prompted by the Norris-Piastri moment) and in Andrea Stella as team principal they possess a moral and upright commander who genuinely wants to act correctly.

Sporting integrity versus team management

Yet having drivers competing for the title appealing to the team for resolutions is unedifying. Their competition should be decided on track. Chance and fate will play their part, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, than the impression that every disputed moment will be pored over by the squad to determine if they need to intervene and then cleared up later in private.

The scrutiny will increase and each time it happens it risks possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Previously, after the team made their drivers swap places at Monza because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri believing he was treated unfairly with the strategy call in Budapest, where Norris triumphed, the shadow of concern of favouritism also looms.

Team perspective and future challenges

No one wants to see a title endlessly debated because it may be considered that fairness attempts were unequal. When asked if he felt the team had managed to do right by both drivers, Piastri responded that they did, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“There’s been some challenging moments and we’ve spoken about a number of things,” he said after Singapore. “However finally it's educational for the entire squad.”

Six meetings remain. The team has minimal wriggle room left for last-minute adjustments, so it may be better now to simply stop analyzing and step back from the conflict.