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The British racing team and F1 could do with any conclusive outcome in the championship battle involving Lando Norris and Piastri getting resolved through on-track action and without reference to team orders with the title run-in kicks off at the Circuit of the Americas starting Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout prompts team tensions

After the Marina Bay event’s undoubtedly thorough and stressful debriefs dealt with, McLaren 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 grand prix weekend. During an intense title fight with the Australian, that Norris invoked one of Ayrton Senna’s well-known quotes did not go unnoticed but the incident which triggered his statement differed completely from incidents characterizing Senna's iconic battles.

“Should you criticize me for simply attempting an inside move of a big gap then you should not be in F1,” stated Norris regarding his first-lap move to pass which resulted in the cars colliding.

His comment seemed to echo Senna’s “Should you stop attempting for a gap that exists then you cease to be a true racer” defence he gave to Sir Jackie Stewart after he ploughed into Alain Prost at Suzuka back in 1990, securing him the championship.

Similar spirit but different circumstances

While the spirit remains comparable, the wording is where the similarities end. Senna later admitted he never intended of letting Prost to defeat him through the first corner whereas Norris attempted to make his pass cleanly at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, his maneuver was legitimate which received no penalty even with the glancing blow he made against his team colleague as he went through. This incident was a result of him touching the Red Bull driven by Verstappen in front of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, instantly stated that Norris gaining the place seemed unjust; the implication being their collision was verboten under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris ought to be told to give back the place he had made. The team refused, but it was indicative that during disputes between them, both will promptly appeal the squad to intervene in their favor.

Squad management and fairness being examined

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete against each other and to try to maintain strict fairness. Aside from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents over what constitutes just or unjust – under these conditions, now covers misfortune, strategy and on-track occurrences like in Marina Bay – there remains the issue regarding opinions.

Most crucially for the championship, with six meetings remaining, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, there is what each driver perceives on fairness and when their perspectives might split from the team's stance. Which is when the amicable relationship between the two could eventually – become a little bit more Senna-Prost.

“It will reach a point where a few points will matter,” commented Mercedes team principal Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and re-calculations and I suppose aggression will increase a bit more. That’s when it starts to become thrilling.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, getting interesting will probably be welcomed in the form of a track duel instead of a spreadsheet-based arbitration regarding incidents. Especially since for F1 the alternative perception from these events is not particularly rousing.

To be fair, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for themselves and it has paid off. They secured their 10th constructors’ title in Singapore (albeit a brilliant success diminished by the controversy from their drivers' clash) and with Stella as squad leader they possess a moral and upright commander who genuinely wants to act correctly.

Racing purity against squad control

Yet having drivers in a championship fight appealing to the team to decide matters is unedifying. Their competition should be decided on track. Chance and fate will have roles, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, than the impression that each contentious incident will be pored over by the squad to determine if intervention is needed and then cleared up later in private.

The scrutiny will intensify and each time it happens it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Previously, following the team's decision their drivers swap places at Monza because Norris had endured a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by with the strategy call in Budapest, where Norris won, the shadow of concern of favouritism also looms.

Squad viewpoint and future challenges

No one wants to witness a championship constantly disputed because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair were unequal. When asked if he believed the squad had managed to do right by both drivers, Piastri responded that they did, but mentioned that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“There’s been some challenging moments and we discussed a number of things,” he said after Singapore. “But ultimately it’s a learning process for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. McLaren have little room for error for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser now to simply close the books and step back from the fray.