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The British racing team and F1 would benefit from anything decisive during this title fight between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri getting resolved on the track rather than without reference to team orders as the title run-in kicks off this weekend at COTA on Friday.

Marina Bay race aftermath leads to team tensions

With the Marina Bay event’s doubtless extensive and stressful debriefs concluded, McLaren is aiming for a fresh start. Norris was likely fully conscious of the historical context of his riposte toward his upset colleague during the previous race weekend. During an intense championship duel against Piastri, his reference to one of Ayrton Senna’s most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed but the incident that provoked his comment differed completely to those that defined Senna's iconic battles.

“If you fault me for just going on the inside through an opening then you don't belong in F1,” Norris said of his opening-lap attempt to pass that led to the cars colliding.

The remark appeared to paraphrase Senna’s “Should you stop attempting an available gap that exists you are no longer a true racer” justification he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart after he ploughed into the French champion in Japan back in 1990, securing him the championship.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

Although the attitude is similar, the phrasing is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed 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. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort which received no penalty despite the minor contact he had with his McLaren teammate during the pass. That itself stemmed from him touching the car driven by Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, immediately declared that Norris gaining the place seemed unjust; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was forbidden by team protocols of engagement and Norris ought to be told to return the place he had made. McLaren did not do so, yet it demonstrated that in any cases of contention, each would quickly ask to the team to intervene on his behalf.

Squad management and fairness under scrutiny

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete against each other and to try to maintain strict fairness. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents over what constitutes just or unjust – under these conditions, now covers bad luck, tactical calls and racing incidents like in Marina Bay – there is the question of perception.

Most crucially for the championship, six races left, Piastri is ahead of Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists on fairness and when their opinion may diverge from the team's stance. Which is when the amicable relationship among them may – finally – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It will reach to a situation where a few points will matter,” commented Mercedes boss Wolff post-race. “Then they’ll start to calculate and re-calculations and I suppose aggression will increase further. That's when it begins to get interesting.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

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

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking appropriate choices for their interests with successful results. They secured their 10th constructors’ title in Singapore (albeit a brilliant success overshadowed by the fuss prompted by the Norris-Piastri moment) and with Stella as team principal they possess a moral and principled leader who genuinely wants to act correctly.

Racing purity against squad control

Yet having drivers in a championship fight appealing to the team to decide matters is unedifying. Their competition should be decided through racing. Luck and destiny will play their part, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, rather than the sense that every disputed moment will be pored over by the squad to ascertain whether they need to intervene and subsequently resolved afterwards behind closed doors.

The examination will intensify and each time it happens it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes that could be critical. Previously, following the team's decision for position swaps in Italy due to Norris experiencing a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris won, the shadow of concern about bias also emerges.

Team perspective and upcoming tests

No one wants to see a title constantly disputed over perceived that fairness attempts were unequal. When asked if he felt the team had managed to do right by both drivers, Piastri said that they did, but noted that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“There’s been some difficult situations and we’ve spoken about a number of things,” he stated post-race. “But ultimately it's educational with the whole team.”

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