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The British racing team along with F1 could do with anything decisive in the championship battle involving Norris and Oscar Piastri being decided on the track rather than without reference to the pit wall as the championship finale begins this weekend at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout leads to internal strain

After the Marina Bay event’s undoubtedly thorough and tense post-race analyses dealt with, McLaren will be hoping for a reset. The British driver was likely fully conscious about the historical parallels of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate during the previous race weekend. During an intense title fight with the Australian, that Norris invoked one of Ayrton Senna’s well-known quotes was lost on no one but the incident that provoked his comment differed completely to those that defined Senna's great rivalries.

“If you fault 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 their vehicles making contact.

The remark appeared to paraphrase Senna’s “Should you stop attempting for a gap which is there then you cease to be a racing driver” defence he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with the French champion at Suzuka back in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Similar spirit yet distinct situations

While the spirit is similar, the wording is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he had no intent of letting Prost beat him through the first corner while Norris did try to execute a clean overtake at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort 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 of Max Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, instantly stated that Norris gaining the place seemed unjust; the implication being the two teammates clashing was verboten under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris ought to be told to give back the place he had made. The team refused, but it was indicative that in any cases of contention, both will promptly appeal to the team to step in in their favor.

Team dynamics and fairness under scrutiny

This comes naturally from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete one another and strive to be as scrupulously fair. Aside from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents over what constitutes just or unjust – under these conditions, now covers misfortune, strategy and on-track occurrences such as in Singapore – there remains the issue of perception.

Most crucially for the championship, with six meetings remaining, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, each racer's view exists as fair and when their perspectives might split from the team's stance. That is when their friendly rapport between the two may – finally – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It’s going to come a point where minor points count,” commented Mercedes boss Wolff post-race. “Then calculations will begin and re-calculations and I suppose the elbows are going to come out a bit more. That's when it begins to become thrilling.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For spectators, during this dual battle, getting interesting will probably be welcomed as an on-track confrontation rather than a data-driven decision regarding incidents. Especially since in Formula One the alternative perception from these events isn't very inspiring.

To be fair, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for their interests and it has paid off. They secured their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success overshadowed by the controversy from the Norris-Piastri moment) and in Andrea Stella as team principal they have an ethical and principled leader who truly aims to act correctly.

Racing purity against team management

Yet having drivers competing for the title appealing to the team for resolutions is unedifying. Their contest ought to be determined on track. Luck and destiny will play their part, yet preferable to allow them simply go at it and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that each contentious incident will be pored over by the team to determine if intervention is needed and subsequently resolved afterwards behind closed doors.

The scrutiny 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 for position swaps at Monza due to Norris experiencing a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by regarding tactics in Budapest, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also emerges.

Squad viewpoint and future challenges

No one wants to see a title endlessly debated because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair had not been balanced. Questioned whether he believed the squad had acted correctly toward both racers, Piastri responded that they did, but noted that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“We've had several challenging moments and we discussed a number of things,” he stated post-race. “But ultimately it’s a learning process for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. McLaren have little wriggle room left for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser to just stop analyzing and step back from the conflict.