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McLaren along with Formula One could do with anything decisive in the championship battle involving Lando Norris & Piastri getting resolved through on-track action rather than without resorting to the pit wall as the title run-in begins this weekend at COTA starting Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout prompts team tensions

After the Marina Bay event’s undoubtedly thorough and stressful debriefs dealt with, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a fresh start. The British driver was almost certainly fully conscious about the historical parallels regarding his retort toward his upset colleague during the previous grand prix weekend. During an intense title fight against Piastri, that Norris invoked a famous Senna most famous sentiments was lost on no one but the incident that provoked his comment differed completely to those that defined Senna's iconic battles.

“Should you criticize me for just going on the inside through an opening then you don't belong in Formula One,” Norris said regarding his first-lap move to pass that led to their vehicles making contact.

The remark appeared to paraphrase the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go an available gap which is there then you cease to be a true racer” justification he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart after he ploughed into the French champion in Japan back in 1990, securing him the championship.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

Although the attitude is similar, the phrasing is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he had no intent of letting Prost to defeat him at turn one whereas Norris attempted to make his pass cleanly in Singapore. In fact, his maneuver was legitimate which received no penalty even with the glancing blow he made against his McLaren teammate during the pass. That itself was a result of him clipping the Red Bull of Max Verstappen in front of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, immediately declared that Norris gaining the place seemed unjust; suggesting that their collision was verboten by team protocols of engagement and Norris ought to be told to return the position he gained. The team refused, yet it demonstrated that in any cases between them, both will promptly appeal to the team to step in in their favor.

Team dynamics and impartiality under scrutiny

This comes naturally from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race against each other and to try to be as scrupulously fair. Aside from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents over what constitutes fair or unfair – under these conditions, now includes bad luck, tactical calls and racing incidents like in Marina Bay – there is the question regarding opinions.

Most crucially for the championship, with six meetings remaining, Piastri is ahead of Norris by 22 points, there is what each driver perceives on fairness and at what point their opinion may diverge from the team's stance. Which is when their friendly rapport between the two may – finally – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It’s going to come a point where minor points count,” said Mercedes team principal Wolff post-race. “Then they’ll start to calculate and back-calculate and I suppose aggression will increase a bit more. That's when it begins to become thrilling.”

Viewer desires and championship implications

For the audience, during this dual battle, getting interesting will likely be appreciated as a track duel rather than a data-driven decision of circumstances. Especially since in Formula One the alternative perception from these events isn't very inspiring.

To be fair, McLaren is taking appropriate choices for themselves with successful results. They clinched their 10th constructors’ title in Singapore (though a great achievement diminished by the fuss prompted by the Norris-Piastri moment) and in Andrea Stella as squad leader they possess a moral and principled leader who truly aims to act correctly.

Sporting integrity versus squad control

Yet having drivers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall to decide matters is unedifying. Their contest ought to be determined through racing. Luck and destiny will have roles, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely 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 afterwards behind closed doors.

The examination will intensify and each time it happens it risks potentially making a difference which might prove decisive. Previously, after the team made for position swaps in Italy due to Norris experiencing a delayed 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 upcoming tests

No one wants to see a title endlessly debated because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair had not been balanced. When asked if he believed the squad had managed to do right by both drivers, Piastri responded that they did, but noted it's a developing process.

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

Six meetings remain. McLaren have little wriggle room left to do their cramming, thus perhaps wiser now to simply close the books and step back from the fray.