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McLaren along with Formula One could do with any conclusive outcome in the title fight between Norris and Piastri getting resolved on the track rather than without resorting to the pit wall with the championship finale begins at the COTA on Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout leads to team tensions

With the Marina Bay event’s doubtless extensive and tense post-race analyses dealt with, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a reset. The British driver was almost certainly more than aware of the historical context of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate during the previous grand prix weekend. During an intense title fight against Piastri, his reference to a famous Senna most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed but the incident that provoked his comment differed completely to those that defined Senna's iconic battles.

“Should you criticize me for simply attempting on the inside through an opening then you don't belong in F1,” Norris said of his opening-lap attempt to pass that led to the cars colliding.

His comment seemed to echo Senna’s “Should you stop attempting for a gap that exists you are no longer a racing driver” defence he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with Alain Prost at Suzuka in 1990, ensuring he took the championship.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

While the spirit is similar, the wording is where the similarities end. Senna later admitted he had no intent of letting Prost beat him through the first corner whereas Norris attempted to make his pass cleanly at the Marina Bay circuit. In fact, his maneuver was legitimate that went unpenalised despite the minor contact he made against his team colleague during the pass. That itself was a result of him clipping the Red Bull driven by Verstappen in front of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, immediately declared that Norris gaining the place was “unfair”; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was verboten by team protocols for racing and Norris ought to be told to return the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that in any cases of contention, each would quickly ask to the team to intervene on his behalf.

Squad management and impartiality under scrutiny

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete against each other and strive to be as scrupulously fair. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents about what defines fair or unfair – under these conditions, now covers misfortune, strategy and on-track occurrences like in Marina Bay – there is the question of perception.

Of most import for the championship, six races left, Piastri is ahead of Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists as fair and when their perspectives might split from the team's stance. Which is when the amicable relationship between the two may – finally – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It will reach to a situation where minor points count,” said Mercedes boss Toto 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 starts to become thrilling.”

Audience expectations and title consequences

For the audience, during this dual battle, increased excitement will likely be appreciated as an on-track confrontation rather than a data-driven decision of circumstances. Especially since in Formula One the other impression from all this is not particularly rousing.

To be fair, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for their interests with successful results. They secured their 10th constructors’ title in Singapore (albeit a brilliant success 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 do the right thing.

Sporting integrity against squad control

Yet having drivers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall to decide matters is unedifying. Their competition should be decided on track. Chance and fate will play their part, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, rather than the sense that each contentious incident will be analyzed intensely by the squad to ascertain whether intervention is needed and then cleared up afterwards behind closed doors.

The examination will increase with every occurrence it risks potentially making a difference that could be critical. Previously, following the team's decision their drivers swap places in Italy due to Norris experiencing a slow pit stop and Piastri feeling he was treated unfairly regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris triumphed, the spectre of a fear about bias also emerges.

Team perspective and future challenges

No one wants to see a title constantly disputed over perceived that fairness attempts were unequal. Questioned whether he felt the team had acted correctly by both drivers, Piastri responded he believed they had, but noted that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“We've had several difficult situations and we discussed a number of things,” he said post-race. “However finally it’s a learning process for the entire squad.”

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