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The British racing team and Formula One could do with any conclusive outcome in the championship battle between Norris and Piastri being decided on the track and without reference to team orders as the championship finale begins this weekend at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix aftermath leads to team tensions

After the Marina Bay event’s doubtless extensive and tense post-race analyses dealt with, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a reset. Norris was almost certainly fully conscious about the historical parallels regarding his retort to his aggrieved teammate during the previous race weekend. During an intense championship duel against Piastri, his reference to a famous Senna well-known quotes did not go unnoticed but the incident that provoked his comment was of an entirely different nature to those that defined the Brazilian’s great rivalries.

“Should you criticize me for just going on the inside through an opening then you should not be in Formula One,” 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 an available gap which is there you are no longer a true racer” defence he gave to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with Alain Prost at Suzuka back in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Parallel mindset but different circumstances

While the spirit is similar, the phrasing is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he had no intent of letting Prost beat him at turn one while Norris did try to execute a clean overtake in Singapore. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised even with the glancing blow he made against his McLaren teammate as he went through. That itself stemmed from him touching the car of Max Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, instantly stated that Norris gaining the place seemed unjust; suggesting that their collision was forbidden under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris should be instructed to give back the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that during disputes of contention, both will promptly appeal the squad to intervene on his behalf.

Team dynamics and fairness under scrutiny

This is part and parcel of McLaren’s laudable efforts to allow their racers compete one another and to try to maintain strict fairness. Quite apart from tying some torturous knots in setting precedents about what defines fair or unfair – under these conditions, now covers misfortune, strategy and racing incidents like in Marina Bay – there remains the issue regarding opinions.

Of most import to the title race, with six meetings remaining, Piastri is ahead of Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists on fairness and when their perspectives might split from the team's stance. That is when their friendly rapport between the two may – finally – 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 they’ll start to calculate and re-calculations 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 the audience, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will probably be welcomed as an on-track confrontation rather than a spreadsheet-based arbitration regarding incidents. Especially since in Formula One the alternative perception from these events isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking 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 controversy from their drivers' clash) and in Andrea Stella as squad leader they possess a moral and principled leader who truly aims to do the right thing.

Sporting integrity versus squad control

Yet having drivers competing for the title appealing to the team to decide matters appears unsightly. Their competition ought to be determined through racing. Chance and fate will play their part, yet preferable to allow them simply go at it and see how fortune falls, than the impression that every disputed moment will be pored over by the team to determine if they need to intervene and then cleared up later in private.

The examination will intensify and each time it happens it is in danger of potentially making a difference which might prove decisive. Already, following the team's decision their drivers swap places at Monza due to Norris experiencing a slow pit stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by regarding tactics in Budapest, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear about bias also emerges.

Squad viewpoint and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to witness a championship constantly disputed over perceived that the efforts to be fair were unequal. Questioned whether he felt the team had acted correctly by both drivers, 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 stated after Singapore. “But ultimately it’s a learning process for the entire squad.”

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