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The British racing team and Formula One could do with any conclusive outcome during this title fight between Lando Norris & Oscar Piastri being decided through on-track action rather than without resorting to team orders as the championship finale kicks off at the COTA on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix fallout prompts team tensions

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s undoubtedly thorough and tense debriefs concluded, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a fresh start. Norris was almost certainly fully conscious about the historical parallels of his riposte toward his upset colleague at the last grand prix weekend. In a fiercely contested title fight with the Australian, that Norris invoked a famous Senna well-known quotes did not go unnoticed but the incident that provoked his comment differed completely to those that defined the Brazilian’s iconic battles.

“Should you criticize me for just going an inside move through an opening then you don't belong in Formula One,” stated Norris 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 that exists then you cease to be a true racer” justification he gave to the racing knight following his collision with Alain Prost in Japan back in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

Although the attitude remains comparable, the phrasing marks where parallels stop. Senna later admitted he had no intent of letting Prost beat him through the first corner whereas Norris did try to execute a clean overtake at the Marina Bay circuit. In fact, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised despite the minor contact he made against his McLaren teammate during the pass. This incident stemmed from him touching the car of Max Verstappen in front of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, instantly stated that Norris gaining the place was “unfair”; the implication being their collision was forbidden under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris ought to be told to return the place he had made. The team refused, yet it demonstrated that in any cases of contention, both will promptly appeal the squad to step in on his behalf.

Team dynamics and fairness under scrutiny

This is part and parcel 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 when establishing rules about what defines just or unjust – under these conditions, now includes misfortune, tactical calls and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there remains the issue regarding opinions.

Of most import for the championship, six races left, 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. Which is when their friendly rapport among them may – finally – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It’s going to come a point where minor points count,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I suppose aggression will increase a bit more. That’s when it starts to become thrilling.”

Audience expectations and championship implications

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, getting interesting will probably be welcomed as an on-track confrontation rather than a data-driven decision of circumstances. Especially since for F1 the alternative perception from all this is not particularly rousing.

To be fair, McLaren are making appropriate choices for their interests and it has paid off. They secured their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success overshadowed by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and in Andrea Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and principled leader who truly aims to do the right thing.

Racing purity against squad control

However, with racers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall to decide matters is unedifying. Their contest should be decided through racing. Luck and destiny will have roles, but better to let them just battle freely and observe outcomes naturally, rather than the sense that each contentious incident will be pored over by the squad to ascertain whether they need to intervene and then cleared up later in private.

The examination will intensify with every occurrence it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Already, after the team made their drivers swap places at Monza because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri feeling he was treated unfairly regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris won, the shadow of concern of favouritism also emerges.

Squad viewpoint and upcoming tests

No one wants to see a title constantly disputed over perceived that the efforts to be fair were unequal. When asked if he felt the team had acted correctly toward both racers, Piastri said he believed they had, but noted that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“There’s been some difficult situations and we discussed a number of things,” he said post-race. “However finally it's educational with the whole team.”

Six races stay. McLaren have little room for error to do their cramming, so it may be better now to simply stop analyzing and withdraw from the conflict.