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McLaren and Formula One could do with any conclusive outcome during this title fight involving Norris and Oscar Piastri getting resolved on the track and without resorting to the pit wall as the title run-in begins this weekend at COTA on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix aftermath prompts team tensions

After the Marina Bay event’s doubtless extensive and tense debriefs dealt with, McLaren is aiming for a fresh start. Norris was likely more than aware of the historical context regarding his retort toward his upset colleague during the previous grand prix weekend. During an intense title fight with the Australian, his reference to a famous Senna most famous sentiments was lost on no one but the incident that provoked his comment was of an entirely different nature from incidents characterizing the Brazilian’s great rivalries.

“Should you criticize me for simply attempting on the inside through an opening then you don't belong in F1,” Norris said of his opening-lap attempt to overtake which resulted in their vehicles making contact.

The remark appeared to paraphrase Senna’s “If you no longer go for a gap which is there then you cease to be a racing driver” justification he gave to the racing knight after he ploughed into Alain Prost at Suzuka in 1990, securing him the title.

Similar spirit yet distinct situations

Although the attitude remains comparable, the phrasing marks where parallels stop. Senna later admitted he never intended to allow Prost beat him at turn one while Norris did try to execute a clean overtake at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised despite the minor contact he had with 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 seemed unjust; suggesting that their collision was forbidden under McLaren’s rules of engagement and Norris should be instructed to return the place he had made. The team refused, yet it demonstrated that in any cases between them, both will promptly appeal to the team to intervene in their favor.

Squad management and fairness under scrutiny

This comes naturally from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race against each other and strive to maintain strict fairness. Aside from tying some torturous knots in setting precedents over what constitutes fair or unfair – which, under these auspices, now includes misfortune, strategy and on-track occurrences such as in Singapore – there is the question regarding opinions.

Of most import to the title race, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, each racer's view exists as fair and at what point their opinion may diverge from the team's stance. Which is when their friendly rapport between the two may – finally – become a little bit more Senna-Prost.

“It will reach a point where minor points count,” commented Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff after Singapore. “Then they’ll start to calculate and back-calculate and I suppose the elbows are going to come out further. That’s when it starts to get interesting.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For spectators, during this dual battle, increased excitement will likely be appreciated as a track duel instead of a spreadsheet-based arbitration of circumstances. Not least because in Formula One the alternative perception from all this isn't very inspiring.

To be fair, McLaren are making appropriate choices for their interests and it has paid off. They secured their tenth team championship in Singapore (albeit a brilliant success diminished by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and in Andrea Stella as team principal they possess a moral and upright commander who truly aims to do the right thing.

Racing purity versus team management

Yet having drivers in a championship fight appealing to the team to decide matters is unedifying. Their competition ought to be determined 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 squad to determine if intervention is needed and subsequently resolved later in private.

The scrutiny will increase 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 because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri feeling he was treated unfairly regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also looms.

Team perspective and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to see a title endlessly debated over perceived that fairness attempts had not been balanced. When asked if he felt the team had acted correctly by both drivers, Piastri said that they did, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“We've had several difficult situations and we discussed a number of things,” he stated post-race. “However finally it's educational for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. The team has minimal room for error for last-minute adjustments, so it may be better now to simply stop analyzing and withdraw from the conflict.