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The British racing team and F1 would benefit from any conclusive outcome during this championship battle involving Norris and Piastri being decided through on-track action rather than without reference to team orders with the title run-in kicks off at the COTA starting Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout leads to internal strain

With the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and stressful post-race analyses dealt with, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a reset. The British driver was likely more than aware of the historical context of his riposte toward his upset colleague at the last race weekend. In a fiercely contested title fight with the Australian, that Norris invoked a famous Senna most famous sentiments was lost on no one but the incident which triggered his statement differed completely from incidents characterizing Senna's iconic battles.

“If you fault 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 overtake that led to their vehicles making contact.

The remark seemed to echo the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go for a gap that exists you are no longer a racing driver” defence he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with the French champion at Suzuka in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

While the spirit is similar, the wording marks where parallels stop. The late champion confessed he never intended of letting Prost beat him through the first corner while Norris did try to execute a clean overtake in Singapore. In fact, it was a perfectly valid effort which received no penalty even with the glancing blow he made against his McLaren teammate as he went through. This incident was a result of him clipping the Red Bull driven by Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, notably, instantly stated that Norris gaining the place was “unfair”; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was verboten under McLaren’s rules of engagement and Norris should be instructed to give back the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, yet it demonstrated that in any cases of contention, both will promptly appeal the squad to step in on his behalf.

Squad management and impartiality being examined

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete one another and to try to maintain strict fairness. Aside from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents about what defines just or unjust – under these conditions, now covers bad luck, tactical calls and on-track occurrences such as in Singapore – there remains the issue of perception.

Most crucially for the championship, six races left, 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. That is when the amicable relationship between the two could eventually – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It’s going to come to a situation where minor points count,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff post-race. “Then they’ll start to calculate and re-calculations and I guess the elbows are going to come out further. That's when it begins to get interesting.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For spectators, during this dual battle, increased excitement will likely be appreciated in the form of an on-track confrontation instead of a spreadsheet-based arbitration of circumstances. Especially since for F1 the alternative perception from these events isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren are making appropriate choices for their interests with successful results. They secured their tenth team championship at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success overshadowed by the controversy from their drivers' clash) and with Stella as team principal they possess a moral and upright commander who truly aims to act correctly.

Sporting integrity against squad control

However, with racers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall to decide matters appears unsightly. Their contest should be decided through racing. Chance and fate will have roles, yet preferable to allow them simply go at it and see how fortune falls, rather than the sense that each contentious incident will be analyzed intensely by the team to determine if they need to intervene and subsequently resolved later in private.

The examination will increase and each time it happens it is in danger of potentially making a difference that could be critical. Already, after the team made their drivers swap places at Monza due to Norris experiencing a delayed stop and Piastri believing he had been hard done by regarding tactics in Budapest, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear about bias also looms.

Team perspective and upcoming tests

No one wants to witness a championship endlessly debated because it may be considered that fairness attempts had not been balanced. Questioned whether he felt the team had acted correctly toward both racers, Piastri said he believed they had, but noted it's a developing process.

“We've had several challenging moments and we discussed various aspects,” he said after Singapore. “But ultimately it’s a learning process with the whole team.”

Six meetings remain. McLaren have little room for error for last-minute adjustments, so it may be better to just stop analyzing and withdraw from the conflict.