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McLaren and F1 could do with anything decisive in the title fight involving Lando Norris & Piastri getting resolved on the track rather than without resorting to the pit wall as the championship finale kicks off this weekend at COTA on Friday.

Marina Bay race aftermath leads to internal strain

With the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and tense post-race analyses concluded, McLaren is aiming for a reset. Norris was likely fully conscious of the historical context regarding his retort to his aggrieved teammate at the last race weekend. During an intense championship duel against Piastri, his reference to a famous Senna most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed yet the occurrence which triggered his statement was of an entirely different nature to those that defined Senna's iconic battles.

“If you fault me for just going an inside move of a big gap then you don't belong in F1,” stated Norris of his opening-lap attempt to pass that led to the cars colliding.

The remark appeared to paraphrase the Brazilian legend's “Should you stop attempting for a gap which is there then you cease to be a true racer” defence he gave to the racing knight following his collision with the French champion in Japan in 1990, ensuring he took the championship.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

Although the attitude is similar, the phrasing is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he never intended to allow Prost to defeat him through the first corner while Norris attempted to make his pass cleanly at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort which received no penalty even with the glancing blow he had with his McLaren teammate during the pass. This incident was a result of him touching the car of Max Verstappen in front of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, immediately declared that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; the implication being their collision was verboten by team protocols for racing and Norris ought to be told to give back the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, yet it demonstrated that during disputes of contention, both will promptly appeal the squad to step in on his behalf.

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 about what defines just or unjust – under these conditions, now covers bad luck, strategy and racing incidents like in Marina Bay – there is the question regarding opinions.

Most crucially for the championship, with six meetings remaining, Piastri leads Norris by 22 points, there is what each driver perceives on fairness and at what point their perspectives might split from the team's stance. Which is when the amicable relationship among them could eventually – become a little bit more the iconic rivalry.

“It will reach to a situation where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes team principal Wolff post-race. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate 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 likely be appreciated in the form of a track duel instead of a data-driven decision of circumstances. Especially since in Formula One the other impression from these events isn't very inspiring.

To be fair, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for themselves and it has paid off. They clinched their tenth team championship in Singapore (albeit a brilliant success overshadowed by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and in Andrea Stella as squad leader they possess a moral and upright commander who genuinely wants to act correctly.

Racing purity against squad control

However, with racers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall for resolutions is unedifying. Their contest should be decided through racing. Luck and destiny will have roles, 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 squad to determine if they need to intervene and subsequently resolved afterwards behind closed doors.

The examination will increase with every occurrence it risks possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Previously, after the team made for position swaps at Monza because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by with the strategy call 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 endlessly debated because it may be considered that fairness attempts were unequal. When asked if he believed the squad had acted correctly by both drivers, Piastri said he believed they had, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“There’s been some difficult situations and we’ve spoken about various aspects,” he said post-race. “But ultimately it’s a learning process with the whole team.”

Six meetings remain. The team has minimal room for error to do their cramming, so it may be better to just close the books and step back from the conflict.