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McLaren and F1 could do with any conclusive outcome during this championship battle between Lando Norris and Piastri being decided through on-track action and without reference to team orders as the championship finale kicks off this weekend at COTA on Friday.

Marina Bay race aftermath leads to team tensions

With the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and stressful post-race analyses concluded, McLaren is aiming for a reset. The British driver was almost certainly fully conscious about the historical parallels regarding his retort toward his upset colleague during the previous grand prix weekend. In a fiercely contested title fight against Piastri, 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 the Brazilian’s iconic battles.

“If you fault me for simply attempting an inside move of a big gap then you don't belong in Formula One,” stated Norris regarding his first-lap move to pass that led to their vehicles making contact.

The remark appeared to paraphrase Senna’s “If you no longer go an available gap which is there you are no longer a true racer” justification he gave to the racing knight after he ploughed into Alain Prost in Japan back in 1990, securing him the championship.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

While the spirit remains comparable, the phrasing marks where parallels stop. Senna later admitted he never intended of letting Prost to defeat him at turn one while Norris did try to make his pass cleanly at the Marina Bay circuit. In fact, his maneuver was legitimate that went unpenalised despite the minor contact he made against his team colleague during the pass. This incident was a result of him clipping the Red Bull of Max Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, notably, instantly stated that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; suggesting that their collision was forbidden under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris should be instructed to give back the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that during disputes of contention, each would quickly ask the squad to intervene in their favor.

Squad management and fairness under scrutiny

This comes naturally from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race one another and to try to be as scrupulously fair. Aside from tying some torturous knots in setting precedents over what constitutes just or unjust – under these conditions, now covers misfortune, strategy and racing incidents like in Marina Bay – there is the question of perception.

Most crucially for the championship, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by 22 points, there is what each driver perceives on fairness and at what point their perspectives might split with that of the McLaren pitwall. Which is when their friendly rapport among them could eventually – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It will reach a point where minor points count,” commented Mercedes boss Toto Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I guess aggression will increase a bit more. That’s when it starts to get interesting.”

Viewer desires and championship implications

For the audience, in what is a two-horse race, getting interesting will probably be welcomed in the form of a track duel instead of a data-driven decision of circumstances. Not least because for F1 the alternative perception from these events isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking appropriate choices for themselves and it has paid off. They clinched their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success overshadowed by the fuss prompted by the Norris-Piastri moment) and with Stella as squad leader they possess a moral and principled leader who genuinely wants to act correctly.

Sporting integrity against team management

However, with racers competing for the title looking to the pitwall to decide matters appears unsightly. Their contest ought to be determined on track. Luck and destiny will have roles, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, rather than the sense that each contentious incident will be pored over 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 risks possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Already, following the team's decision their drivers swap places in Italy because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri believing he was treated unfairly with the strategy call in Budapest, where Norris won, the shadow of concern of favouritism also emerges.

Team perspective and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to witness a championship endlessly debated because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair were unequal. Questioned whether he believed the squad had managed to do right toward both racers, Piastri responded he believed they had, but mentioned that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“We've had several difficult situations and we’ve spoken about a number of things,” he said post-race. “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, so it may be better to just close the books and step back from the fray.