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The British racing team and Formula One could do with any conclusive outcome during this title fight involving Norris and Piastri getting resolved on the track and without reference to the pit wall with the title run-in kicks off this weekend at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix fallout leads to team tensions

After the Marina Bay event’s undoubtedly thorough and stressful post-race analyses concluded, McLaren will be hoping for a fresh start. The British driver was likely more than aware about the historical parallels of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate during the previous grand prix weekend. During an intense title fight with the Australian, that Norris invoked one of Ayrton Senna’s most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed but the incident which triggered his statement differed completely from incidents characterizing the Brazilian’s iconic battles.

“Should you criticize me for simply attempting on the inside of a big gap then you don't belong in F1,” stated Norris of his opening-lap attempt to overtake that led to their vehicles making contact.

His comment seemed to echo the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go for a gap which is there then you cease to be a racing driver” justification he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with the French champion at Suzuka in 1990, securing him the championship.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

Although the attitude remains comparable, the phrasing marks where parallels stop. Senna later admitted he never intended of letting Prost to defeat him at turn one whereas Norris did try to execute a clean overtake at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised even with the glancing blow he had with his McLaren teammate during the pass. That itself stemmed from him clipping the car driven by Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, instantly stated that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was verboten by team protocols for racing and Norris ought to be told to return the place he had made. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that in any cases between them, both will promptly appeal to the team to intervene on his behalf.

Squad management and impartiality being examined

This comes naturally 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 – which, under these auspices, now covers bad luck, tactical calls and racing incidents like in Marina Bay – there remains the issue of perception.

Most crucially to the title race, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by 22 points, there is what each driver perceives on fairness and when their opinion may diverge with that of the McLaren pitwall. Which is when their friendly rapport between the two could eventually – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It’s going to come a point where minor points count,” said Mercedes boss 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 championship implications

For the audience, in what is a two-horse race, getting interesting will probably be welcomed as an on-track confrontation rather than a data-driven decision regarding incidents. Especially since in Formula One the alternative perception from all this isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren are making the correct decisions for themselves and it has paid off. They clinched their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (though a great achievement diminished by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and in Andrea Stella as team principal they have an ethical and principled leader who genuinely wants to act correctly.

Racing purity against squad control

Yet having drivers competing for the title appealing to the team for resolutions appears unsightly. Their contest should be decided on track. Luck and destiny will have roles, but better to let them simply go at it and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that each contentious incident will be analyzed intensely by the squad to ascertain whether they need to intervene and subsequently resolved afterwards behind closed doors.

The examination will increase with every occurrence it is in danger of potentially making a difference that could be critical. Already, following the team's decision their drivers swap places at Monza due to Norris experiencing a slow pit stop and Piastri believing he had been hard done by with the strategy call in Budapest, where Norris triumphed, the shadow of concern of favouritism also emerges.

Squad viewpoint and future challenges

No one wants to see a title constantly disputed because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair had not been balanced. Questioned whether he felt the team had acted correctly toward both racers, Piastri said he believed they had, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“There’s been some challenging moments and we discussed various aspects,” he said after Singapore. “But ultimately it's educational for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. The team has minimal wriggle room left to do their cramming, thus perhaps wiser now to simply stop analyzing and withdraw from the fray.