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The British racing team along with F1 would benefit from any conclusive outcome during this title fight between Lando Norris & Oscar Piastri being decided through on-track action rather than without resorting to the pit wall as the title run-in kicks off at the Circuit of the Americas starting Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix aftermath prompts team tensions

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and stressful debriefs concluded, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a reset. The British driver was likely fully conscious about the historical parallels of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate at the last grand prix weekend. During an intense title fight with the Australian, his reference to one of Ayrton Senna’s well-known quotes did not go unnoticed but the incident that provoked his comment was of an entirely different nature to those that defined Senna's iconic battles.

“Should you criticize me for just going an inside move through an opening then you don't belong in Formula One,” 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 provided to the racing knight after he ploughed into the French champion at Suzuka back in 1990, securing him the championship.

Similar spirit but different circumstances

While the spirit is similar, the phrasing is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he never intended to allow Prost beat him through the first corner whereas Norris did try to execute a clean overtake in Singapore. In fact, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised despite the minor contact he had with his McLaren teammate during the pass. That itself was a result of him clipping the Red Bull of Max Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, significantly, instantly stated that Norris gaining the place seemed unjust; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was verboten under McLaren’s rules of engagement and Norris ought to be told to give back the place he had made. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that in any cases between them, each would quickly ask the squad to intervene in their favor.

Team dynamics and fairness being examined

This comes naturally of McLaren’s laudable efforts to let their drivers race one another and strive to maintain strict fairness. Quite apart from tying some torturous knots when establishing rules about what defines fair or unfair – under these conditions, now covers misfortune, tactical calls and on-track occurrences such as in Singapore – there remains the issue regarding opinions.

Most crucially to the title race, with six meetings remaining, Piastri leads Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists as fair and when their opinion may diverge from the team's stance. Which is when the amicable relationship among them may – finally – become a little bit more the iconic rivalry.

“It will reach a point where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff post-race. “Then they’ll start to calculate and re-calculations and I guess aggression will increase further. That's when it begins to become thrilling.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For the audience, in what is a two-horse race, getting interesting will probably be welcomed in the form of an on-track confrontation instead of a spreadsheet-based arbitration of circumstances. Not least because in Formula One the other impression from all this isn't very inspiring.

To be fair, McLaren is taking appropriate choices for their interests and it has paid off. They secured their 10th constructors’ title in Singapore (though a great achievement overshadowed by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and in Andrea Stella as team principal they possess a moral and upright commander who genuinely wants to act correctly.

Sporting integrity against team management

However, with racers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall to decide matters is unedifying. Their competition ought to be determined on track. Chance and fate will play their part, but better to let them just battle freely and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that every disputed moment will be pored over by the squad to determine if intervention is needed and subsequently resolved later in private.

The scrutiny will increase with every occurrence it risks possibly affecting outcomes that could be critical. Previously, after the team made for position swaps in Italy because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris won, the shadow of concern of favouritism also looms.

Squad viewpoint and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to see a title endlessly debated because it may be considered that fairness attempts had not been balanced. When asked if he believed the squad had acted correctly toward both racers, Piastri said that they did, but mentioned that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“We've had several difficult situations and we discussed various aspects,” he said after Singapore. “But ultimately it’s a learning process for the entire squad.”

Six meetings remain. The team has minimal room for error for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser now to simply stop analyzing and step back from the conflict.