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The British racing team and Formula One would benefit from any conclusive outcome in the title fight between Norris & Oscar Piastri getting resolved on the track rather than without resorting to team orders as the championship finale begins this weekend at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix aftermath prompts team tensions

With the Marina Bay event’s undoubtedly thorough and tense debriefs dealt with, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a fresh start. The British driver was likely fully conscious about the historical parallels of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate during the previous grand prix weekend. During an intense title fight against Piastri, that Norris invoked one of Ayrton Senna’s well-known quotes did not go unnoticed but the incident which triggered his statement was of an entirely different nature to those that defined Senna's great rivalries.

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

His comment appeared to paraphrase the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go an available gap that exists you are no longer a true racer” defence he provided to the racing knight following his collision with the French champion in Japan in 1990, ensuring he took the championship.

Parallel mindset but different circumstances

While the spirit is similar, the wording is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he had no intent to allow Prost to defeat him through the first corner whereas Norris did try to make his pass cleanly 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 during the pass. That itself stemmed from him touching the Red Bull driven by Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, notably, instantly stated that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was forbidden under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris ought to be told to return the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, yet it demonstrated that in any cases of contention, each would quickly ask to the team to intervene in their favor.

Team dynamics and fairness under scrutiny

This comes naturally from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race one another and to try to maintain strict fairness. Quite apart from tying some torturous knots when establishing rules over what constitutes just or unjust – under these conditions, now includes bad luck, tactical calls and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there is the question of perception.

Of most import for the championship, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, there is what each driver perceives as fair and at what point their perspectives might split with that of the McLaren pitwall. That is when the amicable relationship among them could eventually – become a little bit more Senna-Prost.

“It will reach a point where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff post-race. “Then they’ll start to calculate and re-calculations and I suppose aggression will increase a bit more. That’s when it starts to become thrilling.”

Audience expectations 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 for F1 the alternative perception from all this is not particularly rousing.

Honestly speaking, McLaren are making appropriate choices for their interests with successful results. They clinched their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success diminished by the fuss prompted by the Norris-Piastri moment) and in Andrea Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and upright commander who truly aims to act correctly.

Sporting integrity versus squad control

Yet having drivers in a championship fight appealing to the team to decide matters is unedifying. Their contest ought to be determined on track. Chance and fate will play their part, but better to let them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, rather than the sense that each contentious incident will be pored over by the squad to determine if intervention is needed and then cleared up afterwards behind closed doors.

The examination will increase with every occurrence it is in danger of potentially making a difference 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 in Budapest, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also looms.

Squad viewpoint and future challenges

No one wants to see a title endlessly debated because it may be considered that fairness attempts had not been balanced. Questioned whether he believed the squad had acted correctly by both drivers, Piastri responded that they did, but noted that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“There’s been some challenging moments and we’ve spoken about a number of things,” he stated post-race. “But ultimately it's educational for the entire squad.”

Six meetings remain. McLaren have little wriggle room left for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser to just close the books and step back from the conflict.