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McLaren along with F1 could do with anything decisive during this championship battle between Lando Norris & Oscar Piastri being decided through on-track action rather than without resorting to team orders as the championship finale kicks off this weekend at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix fallout leads to team tensions

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and tense debriefs concluded, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a reset. The British driver was likely more than aware about the historical parallels regarding his retort toward his upset colleague during the previous grand prix weekend. During an intense title fight against Piastri, that Norris invoked a famous Senna well-known quotes did not go unnoticed but the incident that provoked his comment was of an entirely different nature from incidents characterizing Senna's great rivalries.

“If you fault me for simply attempting an inside move through an opening then you don't belong in Formula One,” Norris said regarding his first-lap move to pass which resulted in their vehicles making contact.

His comment seemed to echo the Brazilian legend's “Should you stop attempting for a gap which is there you are no longer a true racer” justification he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with the French champion at Suzuka in 1990, securing him the title.

Similar spirit yet distinct situations

While the spirit is similar, the wording marks where parallels stop. The late champion confessed he had no intent of letting Prost beat him through the first corner whereas Norris attempted to make his pass cleanly at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, his maneuver was legitimate that went unpenalised even with the glancing blow he had with his McLaren teammate during the pass. This incident stemmed from him clipping the Red Bull driven by Verstappen ahead of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, notably, immediately declared that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was forbidden by team protocols of engagement and Norris ought to be told to return the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that during disputes between them, each would quickly ask the squad to step in in their favor.

Team dynamics and fairness under scrutiny

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete one another and strive to be as scrupulously fair. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents about what defines fair or unfair – which, under these auspices, now covers misfortune, strategy and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there remains the issue of perception.

Of most import for the championship, with six meetings remaining, Piastri leads Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists on fairness and when their perspectives might split from the team's stance. Which is when their friendly rapport among them may – finally – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It’s going to come to a situation where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff post-race. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I suppose the elbows are going to come out a bit more. That’s when it starts to get interesting.”

Audience expectations and title consequences

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will probably be welcomed as a track duel instead of a data-driven decision regarding incidents. Not least because for F1 the alternative perception from these events isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking appropriate choices for their interests with successful results. They clinched their tenth team championship in Singapore (though a great achievement diminished by the controversy from their drivers' clash) and with Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and principled leader who truly aims to act correctly.

Sporting integrity against squad control

However, with racers in a championship fight appealing to the team for resolutions appears unsightly. Their competition should be decided through racing. Luck and destiny will play their part, but better to let them simply go at it and see how fortune falls, rather than the sense that every disputed moment will be pored over by the squad to ascertain whether intervention is needed and subsequently resolved afterwards behind closed doors.

The scrutiny will intensify with every occurrence it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes that could be critical. Already, following the team's decision their drivers swap places at Monza due to Norris experiencing a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he was treated unfairly regarding tactics in Budapest, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also emerges.

Team perspective and future challenges

Nobody desires to witness a championship constantly disputed because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair had not been balanced. Questioned whether he felt the team had acted correctly by both drivers, Piastri said he believed they had, but noted it's a developing process.

“There’s been some difficult situations and we’ve spoken about various aspects,” he said after Singapore. “But ultimately it's educational with the whole team.”

Six races stay. The team has minimal room for error to do their cramming, thus perhaps wiser now to simply close the books and withdraw from the fray.