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McLaren along with Formula One would benefit from any conclusive outcome in the title fight between Lando Norris & Piastri being decided through on-track action rather than without resorting to the pit wall with the championship finale begins this weekend at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix fallout prompts internal strain

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s undoubtedly thorough and stressful debriefs dealt with, McLaren is aiming for a reset. Norris was likely fully conscious 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 one of Ayrton Senna’s well-known quotes did not go unnoticed yet the occurrence which triggered his statement was of an entirely different nature from incidents characterizing the Brazilian’s great rivalries.

“Should you criticize me for just going an inside move of a big gap then you should not be in Formula One,” Norris said of his opening-lap attempt to pass that led to their vehicles making contact.

His comment appeared to paraphrase the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go an available gap that exists then you cease to be a racing driver” defence he gave to the racing knight following his collision with the French champion at Suzuka back in 1990, securing him the title.

Similar spirit but different circumstances

Although the attitude remains comparable, the phrasing is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he had no intent to allow Prost beat him at turn one while Norris attempted to make his pass cleanly in Singapore. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort which received no penalty even with the glancing blow he made against his team colleague during the pass. This incident was a result of him touching the Red Bull of Max Verstappen ahead of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, significantly, instantly stated that Norris gaining the place seemed unjust; the implication being the two teammates clashing was forbidden under McLaren’s rules of engagement and Norris ought to be told to return the place he had made. The team refused, yet it demonstrated that during disputes of contention, each would quickly ask the squad to step in in their favor.

Squad management and fairness under scrutiny

This comes naturally from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete one another and to try to be as scrupulously fair. Aside from tying some torturous knots in setting precedents about what defines just or unjust – which, under these auspices, now includes bad luck, tactical calls and on-track occurrences like in Marina Bay – there is the question of perception.

Of most import for the championship, with six meetings remaining, Piastri is ahead of Norris by twenty-two points, there is what each driver perceives on fairness and when their opinion may diverge with that of the McLaren pitwall. That is when their friendly rapport among them may – finally – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It’s going to come a point where minor points count,” said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I guess the elbows are going to come out a bit more. That's when it begins to get interesting.”

Viewer desires and championship implications

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will likely be appreciated as an on-track confrontation rather than a data-driven decision of circumstances. Especially since for F1 the alternative perception from these events is not particularly rousing.

To be fair, McLaren are making appropriate choices for their interests and it has paid off. They clinched their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (though a great achievement overshadowed by the controversy from the Norris-Piastri moment) and with Stella as team principal they have an ethical and upright commander who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Sporting integrity against team management

However, with racers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall for resolutions is unedifying. Their competition should be decided through racing. Luck and destiny will play their part, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that every disputed moment will be analyzed intensely by the team to determine if intervention is needed and then cleared up afterwards behind closed doors.

The scrutiny will increase with every occurrence it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Already, after the team made for position swaps at Monza due to Norris experiencing a delayed stop and Piastri believing he had been hard done by with the strategy call at Hungary, where Norris triumphed, the shadow of concern of favouritism also emerges.

Squad viewpoint and upcoming tests

No one wants to witness a championship endlessly debated over perceived that fairness attempts were unequal. When asked if he felt the team had acted correctly toward both racers, Piastri responded he believed they had, but noted that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“We've had several challenging moments and we discussed various aspects,” he stated after Singapore. “However finally it’s a learning process for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. The team has minimal wriggle room left for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser to just stop analyzing and withdraw from the fray.